Wednesday's Child
by memellymoo
Summary: After 7 years away Carla is forced to face her past and the people she left behind in order to save a life.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE:** Wednesday's Child.

 **AUTHOR:** memellymoo.

 **RATING:** PG13

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Coronation or anything related to it, I'm just borrowing them for a short while, I promise to put them back when I'm finished.

 **SUMMARY:** After 7 years away Carla is forced to face her past to save a life.

 **AUTHORS NOTE** : It's been a long time since I've written anything, maybe one day I will finish SBR but right now I have a few other projects taking up my entire muse. This is an idea that came to me and then would not leave, so I wrote it. It has many pairings but it's not really about any one of them in particular. Also this was written before Coronation Street had a character by the same name, but I fell in love with my little creation so I kept it.

 _in my daughter's eyes I am a hero_

 _I am strong and wise and I know no fear_

 _but the truth is plain to see_

 _she was sent to rescue me_

The sun was rising lazily over the tide casting the surf and sky in a hazy orange hue as the waves hit the sand, fizzing a little before washing back out to sea and joining the southern California swell as the early risers mounted their surfboards, board shorts and wet suits crowding the popular surf beach.

"Mama, watch," a tiny figure clad in a purple wetsuit called out as she tucked her surfboard under her arm and headed for the water, unruly dark curls bouncing behind her as she laid on her board and paddled out into the ocean, waiting a few minutes for the next perfect wave before following in, her tiny feet planted firmly on the multi-colored fiberglass surfboard.

Pulling her designer shades down over her eyes Carla watched, a smile gracing her lips as the tiny 6-year-old once again followed the wave back onto shore.

"Sunny, time to get your cute little behind back onto dry land or you will be late for school. Again," she ordered rising from the sand and walking towards the water's edge.

"One more wave, please?" the youngster pleaded.

Shaking her head in amusement Carla relented. "One more."

"You're the best," she exclaimed, blowing her mother a kiss before running into the water once more.

Carla rolled her eyes at her daughter's antics. "Until I say no, then I'm the worst."

"Talking to yourself?" Jake asked, walking up behind her he handed her a coffee before wrapping his arms around her waist.

Leaning her head backwards against him Carla cradled the coffee in her hands. "Mm, I thought you had an early start?"

"My first patient cancelled, so I figured I'd head home and join my favorite girls for breakfast, that's if we can separate Little Miss Sunshine over there from her board," Jake chuckled.

"This is the last wave of the morning," Carla said, taking a sip of her coffee. "Good java."

Jake kissed the side of her head. "She's giving the pros a run for their money out there."

"I know … the kid has no fear," Carla laughed.

"Well she is your daughter," Jake reminded her.

Carla nodded her head. "Yep. That she is."

Out in the ocean 6-year-old Summer waited, riding out a few waves before mounting her board, if this was going to be her last wave of the morning she wanted it to be a good one, squinting into the sun she stayed low on her board, her arms ready to catch the wave coming up behind her as the edge of her tongue poked through her lips like it always did when she was concentrating and then in a matter of seconds she was on her feet, riding along with the wave.

As the wave approached the beach she bent her knees even more, following it right up to the shore before lifting her board up and heading over towards her parents.

"You looked incredible out there," Jake told her, wringing the water out of her hair.

"I know," Summer agreed. "Delta says I'm probably good enough to compete this year."

Helping Summer out of her wet suit Carla picked it up and put it over the back of the chair ready to dry as the youngster took the towel from her mother and started to dry her wild curls.

"Shower. Now. We have exactly 37 minutes to get to school before we both find ourselves in the principal's office. Again," Carla ordered.

Mouthing something under her breath Summer headed towards the stairs. "Life would be so much simpler if the President banned school," she huffed, the last bit purposely louder than the rest.

"Remind me again how that is my child?" Carla laughed, from the moment she had been able to walk and talk Summer had been a spirited child, choosing trousers over dresses, skateboards and scooters over dolls and teddies.

"Oh she's all you," Jake replied. "Spirited, independent, beautiful, stubborn, argumentative, loving, compassionate."

Carla leaned forward, placing her hands on either side of his face as she pulled him into her. "Keep going."

"How long was I?" Summer asked, taking the stairs 2 at a time. "I bet that was quickest someone has showered and dressed. Ever."

"That's because you didn't wash your hair," Carla pointed out, trying to get the sand out of her daughter's hair.

"Sand is good for your hair," Summer shrugged. "It has minerals and stuff."

Carla eyed her daughter. "Says who?"

"I don't know, but it sounds like something that might be true," Summer smiled.

Grabbing their bags from the side Carla made sure she had her car keys before ushering Summer out towards the car. "Buckle up," she ordered.

"Already done," Summer nodded. "After all I know how you drive."

From his place in the passenger seat Jake couldn't help but laugh, from the moment he'd first met her Summer had won him over, just like her mother.

"Do not encourage her," Carla warned under her breath.

"I'm not," Jake smiled innocently.

"Hmm," Carla breathed.

The minute they pulled out of their residential street and towards the freeway they found themselves in bumper to bumper traffic, everyone else in Los Angeles trying to get somewhere too.

"Fu … freaking traffic," Carla huffed.

"You were going to say a bad word," Summer accused.

Carla watched her daughter in the rearview mirror, watching as she played with the frayed edges of her black converse. "No I wasn't."

"Yes you were," Summer countered. "You were going to say f-"

"Don't even think about it Little Lady," Carla warned.

Immediately Summer recognized the tone, it was the one her mother used when she was about 2 seconds away from getting in trouble, and she needed to try really hard to stay out of trouble this week if she wanted to go to the skate park at the weekend.

"You know we could probably walk quicker," Summer observed, changing the subject.

"We probably could," Carla agreed.

Summer let down her window a little. "I could definitely run faster. Sam says I'm super fast for my age and I might even be able to run in the Olympics one day … but I don't want to be in the Olympics… it looks boring they have no skateboards or surfing."

"They have other fun stuff," Carla suggested.

"I guess throwing the pointy stick could be fun," Summer mused as the wind caught her hair blowing it away from her face as the car finally began to move.

A few right turns later they pulled up outside the school just as everyone was heading in. "You got everything?"

"Yep," Summer sung, the word popping between her lips.

"Don't forget Delta is picking you up today, Lucas wants you to help him ride his bike," Carla reminded her.

Summer nodded. "Love you."

"I love you too, now run before we both get in trouble," Carla laughed blowing her daughter a kiss.

Watching until Summer was safely inside the school building Carla shook her head. "I need coffee and lots of it, I swear that kid is going to give me grey hairs before the school year is out."

"I think it might be a bit late for that," Jake teased pulling an imaginary grey hair from her head.

"Urgh not you too," Carla laughed pulling out of the parking lot and back onto the freeway.

"What time is your meeting?" Jake queried.

Pulling up outside the market Carla stepped out the car. "Not till this afternoon."

"Breakfast?" he suggested.

"I would love too but I promised I'd meet Amelia," Carla apologized.

One of the first things Jake realized about Carla when they first met was that he would never know everything about her, that there were some parts of her life that would always be a mystery to him and her relationship with Amelia was one of them. "Later?"

"Always," Carla breathed, kissing him gently before heading across the road to meet Amelia. Who was sat outside waiting for her.

Sitting down opposite her sponsor and friend Carla gratefully inhaled the steaming cup of coffee. "Sorry I'm late."

"Sunny refusing to get out of bed again? Amelia guessed.

"Nope," Carla popped. "It was a perfect surf morning so she was up at the crack of dawn, getting her out of the water however … not so easy," she explained watching as Amelia's eyes clouded over. "Is everything ok?"

Amelia took a deep breath before speaking. "Yeah. Everything is good, with me anyway … have you made a decision yet?"

"I don't know, I mean it's all I've been thinking about, when I agreed to get her tested I really didn't think she would be a match. I only did it because Michelle begged me to but now … she could save his life, " Carla whispered, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on her.

"But by saving his life it could ruin the life you've created here for yourself and Summer," Amelia added, saying what Carla was too scared to say out loud.

Reaching out Carla grasped the cup tightly in her suddenly too cold hands. "They don't know. Well Chelle she knows, but everyone else. When I left … I didn't look back, I couldn't."

"How long do you have to make a decision?" Amelia asked

"They know there's a match but they don't know it's a child, I need to talk to Jake because if I do this … there will be no turning back, this life we have here; the calm, the peace it will all be over, chaos will descend and … then there's Sunny to think about, she's not even 7 yet … how do I ask a 6 year old to undergo an operation for someone she has never met?" Carla worried, wondering what all of the upheaval would do to her family if she agreed to it.

But if they didn't find another match or if she left it too late to make a decision and the worst happened she didn't know if she could live with herself, was keeping her secret really worth risking a child's life.

"Whatever you decide, I'm here for you," Amelia reassured her.

Carla swallowed down the rest of her coffee. "Good. Because not once in the last 6 years have I wanted this cup of coffee to be laced with whiskey as much as I do right now."

CS-CS-CS

"Can I ride a tram car? Auntie Amy says they're the best thing about this god-saken town."

"Do they have a beach? If they don't have a beach we are getting back on the plane and going straight back to Los Angeles."

"What about a skatepark? I know we didn't pack my board but we can buy one right? I mean Aunt Amy says you're richer than … a really, really rich person."

"Do you have to work here?"

"Aunt Amy says they call soccer football here, that's weird."

"Aunt Amy says that when I'm 7 she'll let me color my hair blue."

Carla listened to her daughter talk a mile a minute trying not to think about why she was here and what was about to happen.

"You are not having blue hair," she told her daughter.

Summer stopped, placing her tiny hands on her hips. "But Aunt Amy said-"

"Auntie Amy says lots of things that she perhaps shouldn't, which is exactly why I have told you time and time again that-"

"Although we love Auntie Amy very, very much we shouldn't always take what she says seriously," Summer finished, obviously having heard this lecture many a time before.

Carla nodded. "Exactly."

"It's cold here," Summer shivered stepping out of the airport and into the cold Manchester night. "I don't think I like it very much."

"You'll get used to it," Carla tried to reassure her daughter.

Summer frowned. "I think I prefer Los Angeles."

"That's because you're a California girl," Carla smiled taking her daughter's hand, grateful for all the perks that came with flying first class as a member of the airline staff helped load their bags into the waiting car.

"It's because I like the beach," Summer agreed.

Carla helped her daughter buckle up. "It's only for a few weeks Sum, we'll be back to sunshine, surf and skateboards before you know it."

"Are we here to save a baby?" Summer wondered.

"We're here to save a life," Carla hedged.

Summer wound down the window, closing her eyes as the wind blew through her hair. "Los Angeles is my happy place Mama."

"I know, mine too which is why we will be home before you know it," Carla tried to reassure her daughter. "Little Bug, do you remember what we talked about the other day?"

"You talk a lot Mama, how am I supposed to remember it all?" Summer asked with a roll of her eyes.

Carla couldn't help but laugh. "You make a fair point, but I mean the other day when we were talking about how even though Jake is your daddy now he wasn't always your daddy and that when you were really tiny someone else was your daddy?"

"I remember that talk, but it's ok Mama, I don't want another one, I like Jake," Summer reasoned, not really understanding the significance behind her mother's words.

"I know Bug, you see the thing is the other man, your biological dad well he lives here in Manchester and the little boy that we are here to help is very special to him so we might see him whilst we are here. I know this is all very confusing Bug but this little-boy needs you, the blood test we took last week shows that your blood can help him get better," Carla explained.

"So they're going to take away my blood?" Summer panicked. "But I need it. It's mine."

Carla rested her hand on her daughter's knee. "No, no, no. They just need to take a little bit, but it's ok because the human body is really clever and it will make back what they take."

"So I will still be able to bleed?" Summer asked.

"You can still bleed, although I would appreciate it if you didn't," Carla told her daughter.

Summer raised her eyebrows at her mother. "I can promise to try, but I can't promise never because sometimes I fall especially when I'm skating with Betsy."

"And that my little daredevil is why crash pads and helmets were invented," Carla replied.

"Will they use another needle to take my blood?" Summer worried, her bottom lip quivering as she asked the question.

Carla rested her hand atop her daughter's knee. "Do you remember when I had to have an operation? They gave me some special medicine to make me sleep, well the doctors will give you the same medicine and while you are sleeping they will take a special type of blood from your hip."

"Why my hip?" Summer wondered.

"Because it's where they get the best blood from." Carla replied, trying to put it into terms that her 6-year-old would understand.

Summer's eyebrows creased as she contemplated her mother's words. "If it's ok with you I'd like to keep my best blood, they can have some of the rest … maybe my second best blood, where is that? My knee? My toe?"

"It's all your best blood Bug, it's just easier to get it from your hip," Carla tried, not wanting to scare her, after all she was already asking a lot of her daughter when the youngster agreed to get on a plane and fly to a strange place to help out someone she had never met before.

"And when they take it they give it to the boy and he gets all better?" Summer asked.

"That's what we hope," Carla nodded.

Summer bit her bottom lip nervously. "What happens if when they give him my blood it makes him more poorly? When you were poorly the doctors gave you medicine and it made you more poorly."

"That was different," Carla breathed, remembering back to one of her darkest periods.

"How?" Summer whispered.

Carla put her arm around her daughter as they pulled up in front of the hotel. "Because although the medicine the doctors gave me made me poorly it made the bad lump in my tummy disappear."

"Will my blood make the bad lump in the boy disappear?" Summer questioned with a wisdom beyond her years.

"It's a little bit different. Mason, the boy, his was born without a special part of his blood that stops people from getting sick and you have the same type of blood as him so the doctors hope that by giving him some of your blood it can teach his blood how to grow this bit it's missing," Carla explained.

Summer seemed to think about what her mother had said for a few moments before speaking. "It's good that they are using my blood, because I'm super smart so my blood is probably super smart too so it will be the bestest blood to teach the boys how to work properly," she agreed as she unclipped her seatbelt and followed her mother towards the hotel.

As they followed the concierge into the hotel Carla heard someone call out her name as she turned towards the familiar voice to find Michelle sat in the corner waiting for them, motioning for him to go ahead with the bags Carla guided Summer over towards the chairs.

"Where's Little Bug?"Michelle asked with a smirk.

Summer stood up on tiptoes. "I'm here Auntie Chelle."

"No. That's not my Little Bug. My Sum Sum, you see my little Sum Sum is only about this high," Michelle joked, motioning to her knees.

Summer laughed and shook her head. "That's silly Auntie Chelle. I've been taller than that since I was a baby, I was this tall when you saw me last. Honest. Even though I've been eating my vegetables I still have to sit in the booster seat and my feet don't touch the ground."

"Please do not get her started on the booster seat issue," Carla pleaded, exhaustion evident in her voice.

"I missed you Little Bug," Michelle said scooping her niece onto her lap and ruffling her hair.

Summer frowned. "I missed you too. But I didn't miss you doing that," she added, straightening out her hair.

Michelle put Summer down on the chair and pulled Carla into a hug. "I missed you too," she whispered, tears shining in her eyes.

"Me too. LA is … amazing but it doesn't have you," Carla admitted, knowing that one of her biggest regrets about moving stateside would be leaving her family behind, but when she left she felt she had no other choice.

Looking down at the chair where Summer was now fast asleep Michelle wrinkled her nose. "Seriously? She was practically bouncing off the walls just seconds ago."

"She's exhausted, it's been a confusing week for her," Carla smiled tiredly as she picked her daughter up and headed towards the lift.

"When I called you, you know it was because I had no other choice, you know I wouldn't have put you and Summer through this if I thought there was another way. The life you have made; LA, the business, Jake, Summer … I'm so proud of you, you're a million miles from the person you were when you walked away from here and the idea of asking you to come back made me feel physically ill but … he's just a little-boy Carla, he's been through so much already and they really believe that this could give him the chance of leading a normal life," Michelle explained, her voice quivering with unshed tears.

Carla nodded. "I know. Do they know? Who the bone marrow match is I mean?"

"No," Michelle confirmed. "They don't have a clue they think it was someone found through the most recent donor drive, they think it's an adult …I didn't know if you wanted me to be the one to tell them or not."

Sighing tiredly Carla handed Michelle the keycard as she entered behind her and placed Summer on the bed, opening up her oversized, designer handbag she took out a blanket and well-loved cuddly giraffe placing it in her sleeping daughter's arms before covering her with the blanket.

"It should come from me," Carla said, breaking the silence.

"Are you sure?" Michelle wondered.

Carla looked over at her sleeping daughter. "I told her. I explained that when she was in my tummy she had a different daddy and that he was going to be here. I tried to tell her that the boy she was helping was her brother, well half-brother but I couldn't … she's been begging Jake and I for a sibling for ages now and I just can't … knowing that I think will be too much … especially knowing I can never give her what she wants, not after the … surgery … and now he can … it's just too much."

"Car-"

"I should do it now," Carla announced, cutting Michelle off as the last thing she wanted to do right now was get into a conversation about past health battles.

Michelle frowned. "Now?"

"No time like the present right? Besides tomorrow morning I have to be at the hospital with Summer for her pre-op tests and the last thing I want is to run into them, I want to remove the element of surprise," Carla reasoned.

"Babe … today or tomorrow it doesn't matter when you tell them this is going to be one hell of a surprise for all involved," Michelle reminded her.

Running her hand through her daughter's curls Carla nodded, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I know. But if I don't do it now … I'll lose my bottle … or hit the bottle … and neither of those is a viable option so I have to do it. I have to tell him tonight."

"Do you want me to call him?"Michelle offered.

Carla shook her head. "No. Do you know where I might find them though?"

"They'll be at home, the hospital discharged Mason for a few weeks so he could enjoy some time at home before he has to go into isolation," Michelle informed her best friend.

"Do you mind-"

"I'll watch her," Michelle reassured her, taking Carla's hand in hers to try and stop it from shaking.

Carla kissed her daughter's head. "If she wakes up she can ring me, I'll keep my phone on me."

"I think she's out for the night," Michelle smiled lovingly, impressed by the fact the youngster hadn't stirred once since falling asleep.

Carla laughed, her daughter's ability to sleep anywhere was legendary amongst their family and friends in LA. "When I get back I'll tell you where I found her sleeping at the Fourth of July fireworks."

Grabbing her bag Carla headed towards the door, pausing with her hand gripped tightly on the handle. "He's going to hate me."

"He'll understand you did what you had to in order to survive," Michelle tried to reassure her friend.

"No he won't," Carla breathed. "All he will see is the fact I kept his daughter from him for nearly 7 years."

Michelle looked up. "When things have calmed down he will also come to realize that you have risked everything to fly over here and agree to let your daughter undergo a general anesthetic to save his son's life."

"Maybe," Carla muttered under her breath as she stepped out into the hallway. "But I doubt it."

CS - CS - CS

Standing at the edge of the cobbled streets Carla willed herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other as a series of moments seemed to flash across her subconscious, reminded her why she walked away from here over 7 years ago taking her secret with her.

Putting her head down for fear of being spotted she headed towards their house her eyes darting almost frantically from side to side every time she heard the slightest noise, after all the last thing she needed right now was to be forced into a catch up with someone before she had spoken to him.

"Now or never," she muttered to herself as she rang the doorbell, her hand shaking so much she wasn't sure she was going to be able to.

On the other side of the door she heard movement, before a familiar voice could be heard approaching the door. "I'll get it," she heard him call as his silhouette approached the door before it was carefully pulled open.

"C … Car … Carla," he stammered as he found himself face-to-face with the last person he expected to find on his doorstep at 10 o'clock on a Sunday night.

Carla smiled, a small ghost of a smile as she lifted her head up, her eyes finally meeting his. "Hello Nick."


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the reviews, I was a bit nervous posting it after such a long break. As you can see I have been taking creative liberties with the timeline.

2.

It seemed like an eternity that they stood there without anything being said as Nick regained his composure and Carla took a series of calming breaths.

"Is everything ok?" Leanne asked, coming up behind him. "Carla," she stammered, just as shocked as Nick was to see her one time friend, one time enemy stood just feet away.

Scared she would lose her nerve Carla made the first move. "Er … Is it ok if I come in? Please."

She hated herself for sounding so nervous, hated what being back here was doing to her equilibrium as she felt her heart beat speed up and the palms of her hands become sweaty inside her pocket.

"Sure," Leanne agreed, taking Nick by the hand in an almost possessive manner and leading the other woman inside.u

Standing at the edge of the sofa Carla watched as they both sat down, their eyes never leaving her as she ran through a million different ways to explain why she was here. "I guess you're wondering what's going on," she began. "Why I'm here … after so long."

"Just a bit," Leanne agreed.t

From his place on the sofa Nick could hear sounds mumbled around him but he couldn't seem to speak, for years he had tried to leave her in the past, to lock her away in a little box and never think about her again, but now she was here, stood just feet away from him looking more amazing than ever before.

Lifting his eyes he took in the natural wave of her hair, the depths of her eyes and the sun kissed glow of her skin as his gaze travelled downwards over her tiny curved waist and ridiculously long legs, unlike most people he knew the last 7 years had been good to her, she looked happy, healthy and in control.

"Michelle. She called me, told me about what was happening … with Mason," Carla began shifting her weight nervously from one foot to the other.

"I don't see how that is any of your business," Leanne spat, her protective instincts taking over as her thoughts turned to the little boy sleeping upstairs.

Casting a quick glance over her shoulder she wanted to run, to go back to the hotel, wrap her arms around her daughter and take her as far away from here as possible. Away from all the pain, bitterness and lies that surrounded her past.

"You see the things is … the bone marrow donor … it's … she's … Summer … a little girl … my little girl … Michelle she begged me, Jake … he said it was a long shot, that the odds were small but apparently not that small because she's a perfect match," Carla whispered, not really sure if she was making any sense but needing to get the truth out there.

Leanne's eyes clouded over with confusion. "I don't understand," she breathed. "The transplant coordinator said they found a match in America, an anonymous match."

"And for the most part that's true," Carla nodded, realizing this was going to be a lot harder than she ever imagined as Nick remained silent, his eyes never leaving her.

Leanne stood up and faced the woman that she still blamed for so much of her past heartache. "Carla. Please, you're really not making any sense so … just tell us … what has Mason's donor got to do with you?"

Taking a long deep breath Carla sat down on the empty chair, her eyes darting between Nick and Leanne as the latter sat back down and slid her arm around him making a silent unspoken gesture that made it loud and clear that he was hers now.

"Michelle called and explained the situation to me, that you had been waiting for a donor for months and time was running out, she didn't want to because she knew what it would mean but she also knew what it would mean if you didn't find one," Carla began, deciding to start at the beginning of the most recent chapter.

"What has Michelle-"

Carla stood up again. "Please, just let me finish because if I don't say it now then … I might lose my nerve."

"Ok," Leanne agreed.

From his place on the sofa Nick nodded, the pieces already starting to fit together in his head. "Ok," he echoed.

"She called me because of her, because of Summer, my little-girl … your little-girl Nick," Carla finally admitted her breath catching in her chest because now that the truth was out there she knew there was no taking it back.

Nick stood up, slowly and cautiously he walked towards her. "My little-girl?" he repeated, needing to hear her say it again.

"Yes," Carla confirmed. "Summer is your daughter, when I left here I was pregnant."

Swallowing past the lump in his throat Nick clenched his fists in front of him. "Did you know?"

A few seconds went by in absolute silence. "Yes. I found out that morning."

"You should have told me," he half-said, half-growled his anger at the situation growing by the second.

"Probably, yes," Carla agreed. "But I can't change that now."

Nick closed his eyes, trying to block out all of the emotions that were swirling around inside his head creating a noise so loud he didn't know what to think or feel. "Why?" he asked, finally finding his voice again. "After everything … why … I didn't deserve this Carla … you had no right."

"When I left here for Devon I planned on telling you. I was going to wait a few weeks, let things calm down and then I was going to tell you everything … but when I got to Devon I was a mess … I did things and … things I'm so ashamed of … things that could have really hurt her but they didn't … she survived … all of my mistakes and selfish actions … she survived and when I had the scan, when I saw her I knew that I had to get better, that I had to be a better person so I could be the mother she deserved. It was never about hurting you Nick, or punishing you it was about keeping my head above water and I knew that the place I was in back then … it was dark and coming back here would only have made it worse," Carla paused, sitting down again as she felt two pairs of eyes burning into her.

Looking down at her hands she started speak again, her voice barely audible above the pounding of her heart. "I know it was selfish but back then it seemed like the only choice I had. One day I just found myself at the airport with nothing but my passport and a change of clothes. When I arrived in LA things were … let's just say the grass isn't always greener … but they got better … and she got bigger and stronger and day by day so did I … and then she was here."

"When I held her for the first time she was so tiny, so perfect and so untouched by the past that it terrified me, I had no idea how I could be everything she needed. I was a train wreck during my pregnancy but holding her, feeding her, feeling her heart beat against my hand … something changed, I made a promise to her that day that I would be the best mother I could be and I knew that meant staying where I was," Carla continued as Nick and Leanne remained silent, letting her speak.

"It wasn't easy, I made mistakes but together we made a life, together we learnt, being a mum, being her mum has taught me more than any other challenge in life and I'm not perfect but we make it work … what we have it works. Summer she's … incredible … I know every parent probably says that about their child but she really is. She's stubborn, smart, beautiful, brave, sarcastic as hell and has an answer for everything but she's also kind, generous and intuitive … when I told her why we were coming here, that her blood could help save a life she didn't hesitate … she's scared … but she's determined to help," Carla finished, sitting back in the chair as she let Nick and to some degree Leanne digest what she had just told them.

Pacing back and forth across the small living room Nick didn't even know where to begin, this morning when he woke up things were better than they had been in months. Mason was home, they had found a perfect bone marrow match and his relationship with Leanne was back on track.

Now less than 24 hours later he was more confused than he had ever been. He had a daughter, a little-girl that he had never even met, a little-girl that he probably never would have found out about if Mason wasn't sick, a little-girl that was going to have to undergo a painful procedure and general anesthetic to save the life of someone she had never met.

He had a daughter. Above all of the noise in his head those 4 words were the loudest as they played over and over again.

"I have a daughter," Nick said, as he stopped his pacing and finally voiced them out loud.

Not only did he have a daughter though but he had a daughter with Carla, the one person in his life who would always be his biggest regret, letting her walk away, not listening to his heart and letting his anger take control.

With his back to her he looked up at the pictures of Mason scattered across the walls and hard surfaces. "Does she know?"

"About you? Yes, she doesn't know that Mason is her brother though … she knows that she has another dad, a biological-" Carla stopped, suddenly realizing what she had said and hoping that Nick had not picked up on her slip up.

He had though as the words cut through him like a knife. "Another dad? Why is there someone else she calls dad?"

"Yes," Carla admitted, knowing that there was no way she could keep the truth from him, after all that would mean expecting her 6-year-old to lie and she would never do that to her daughter.

"Who?" Nick demanded to know.

Carla stood up again suddenly feeling the need to be anywhere but where she was. "Jake."

"And he is what? Your husband? Your fiancé? Your married bit on the side?"Nick spat, anger taking over as he let the words spill out without even thinking about what he was saying.

Letting his harsh words slide Carla shook her head. "He's my partner. I met him when Summer was about 6-months-old, we became friends, really good friends and then when she was about a year old we started dating … we're not married, he's asked but he understands that it's not something I want, what Jake and I have is good, it's really good even now over 5 years down the line it's still … fresh and new and I don't need a piece of paper to tell me that he's who I want to spend the rest of my life with. I've been down that road before … too many times …it's different this time."

"But she still calls him dad?" Nick queried.

"It was her choice, she knows that he is not her biological dad but … it's her choice Nick," Carla reasoned.

Nick shook his head."And what about what I wanted? What about my rights? You took them all away from me when you decided to fly my daughter halfway across the world and let her start calling someone else dad."

"Jake being her dad, that was never a conscious decision … it just happened, he's the only man she's ever known, to her everything is so black and white; I'm her mum, I love Jake and we are together so Jake is her dad," Carla explained.

"It should be me she calls dad," Nick whispered.

Carla walked around so that he had no choice but to face her. "I know what I did was wrong, that keeping her from you was wrong but I need you to think really hard before you go doing anything we might all regret-"

"You make it sound like I'm a danger to her," Nick spat. "She's my daughter. I would never do anything to hurt her."

"Not intentionally no. But she's over here in a place that is totally alien to her and soon she is going to be surrounded by people she has never met who all want a piece of her, who all want to claim a role in her life. She's 6-years-old Nick. LA, me, Jake our friends and family out there that's all she's ever known … I'm begging you please, don't make any rushed decisions because she's the one that will have to live with your choices-"

"Just like I have to live with the consequences of yours," Nick retorted, cutting her off.

Carla nodded. "Don't make Summer pay for my mistakes."

"Can I see her?" Nick asked, his voice suddenly softening.

Reaching into a bag Carla pulled out an envelope, she knew that this question was coming so she had brought a series of pictures with her that documented Summer's life so far. "It's a collection of my favorite ones."

"I mean-"

"I know what you meant," Carla said. "And yes. But I think you need time to calm down first and maybe talk things through," she added, her eyes shifting between Nick and Leanne.

Standing up Leanne spoke for the first time in ages. "She's right. It's late, we should sleep on it and then perhaps tomorrow we can make a plan."

"Ok," Nick agreed a headache starting to form behind his eyes.

Reaching into her bag again Carla pulled a piece of paper out. "This is my number and the name of the hotel we are staying at. We have an appointment at Manchester Children's Hospital tomorrow morning for some pre-op tests but I should be free to talk after that."

"I-"

"I'm sorry," Carla apologized as she made her way to leave. "For keeping her from you, for everything you are both going through with Mason … I really am."

And with that she left, leaving Nick and Leanne alone to digest everything she had just told them as she stepped outside into the cold Manchester night, walking to the edge of the street she reached the bus stop before stopping, sitting down she leaned her head against the glass as she let the tears fall. She knew telling Nick would be hard but she hadn't imagined that seeing him again would affect her as much as it had.

She was happy with Jake. Happier and healthier than she had ever been with anyone else and she loved him, despite her refusal to marry him she knew he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. But that didn't change the fact that Nick would always have a piece of her heart, after all he was the father of her child. Just like Peter would always have a piece of her heart and Liam before him.

She couldn't go there though, she had to leave all of those pieces in the past and concentrate on the future, on the life and family she had created for herself and Summer in LA.

CS – CS – CS

Back inside the house Nick was still standing, his eyes fixed firmly on the door since Carla had left, walking up behind him Leanne wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

"Nick-"

"Please just-"

Nick trailed off, not knowing what to say bringing his hands up to his face he rubbed it tiredly before moving over to the chair and sitting down.

"Summer."

"Summer."

Saying her name out loud Nick tried to get used to the way it would feel, how it sounded and everything else that came with the realization that he had a daughter; a little-girl called Summer.

"Do you think she's a Connor?" he wondered.

Leanne shrugged. "I don't know. I mean Connor was her married name and well Paul isn't the father but … Johnny is her father now so … maybe, probably."

"I … this is all such a mess," Nick realized, desperately trying to plan his next move but having no idea where to start, after all this was a first for him.

"We'll figure it out, together, just like we always have," Leanne tried to reassure him, she realized she was going to be walking a very difficult line over the next few days, she needed to support Nick and make sure he knew she was on his side but also the last thing she wanted to do was upset Carla, after all she was allowing her 6-year-old daughter to be a bone marrow donor for her son, something that was a lot to ask of an adult, let alone a child so young.

Nick looked up, his eyes as broken as he felt. "I need to know what to do."

"I can't answer that for your, all I can say is that whatever you decide I'm here for you," Leanne vowed.

Standing up Nick headed towards the door. "I need to talk to her."

Running after him Leanne stood with her back to the door. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean emotions are high right now, things might be said, things that cannot be taken back."

"I need to know why," Nick stammered, his while body practically deflating.

"She told you why," Leanne reminded him.

Nick shook his head. "She told me why then … all those years ago … when she was a mess … but what about last year or the year before … why Leanne? She's my daughter, I'm a good dad-"

"The best," Leanne agreed.

"I just want to see her," Nick cried walking back into the lounge.

Leanne picked up the envelope Carla had left."I know it's not the same but at least you'll be able to get an idea of what she looks like."

With shaking hands Nick took the envelope from her and opened it, the first picture was clearly taken at a birthday party, a small infant was sat on the sand in nothing but a brightly colored nappy and gold party hat with '1' written on it. She had no hair, large blue-grey eyes that were looking away from the camera at something only she could see as she smiled.

"She's so beautiful," Nick whispered.

Leanne couldn't help but agree, the young infant in the picture really was a beautiful child. "She looks like you."

"She looks like Carla," Nick observed.

Leanne shook her head. "She has your eyes."

Taking a picture from the bottom of the pile Nick certainly wasn't expecting what he found. It looked recent as the girl in the picture must have been 5 or 6-years-old, she had wild curls falling down around her shoulders, a dark purple crash helmet on, she was wearing a pair of black denim shorts an LA Lakers t-shirt and she was stood with one converse clad foot on a skateboard and her hand on her hip.

"Looks like you have an action child on your hands," Leanne laughed, genuinely amused as she looked at the picture, the young girls' adventurous spirit obvious in every pixel.

Nick found himself mesmerized by everything about the young child, she was looking at the camera, her eyes bright with the sense of adventure. "She looks … I know you can't tell what someone is like from a picture but she looks happy."

"She does," Leanne agreed.

"I don't want her to end up hating me," Nick admitted, finally voicing his worst fear out loud.

Leanne rested her head on his shoulder as he switched to the next picture, this one showing Summer in a denim dress, her hair pulled back into two braids and a pair of shiny purple converse high tops as she sat on a bean bag next to a large infinity pool with a book clutched tightly in her hand.

"Do you think that's where they live?"Nick wondered. "I mean if it is what do I have to offer eh? I mean I live in a small terraced house on the same street I always have … it's not exactly an infinity pool on the beach in Los Angeles is it," he worried, suddenly realizing just how much of her life he had missed out on.

Leanne took the picture from him. "You don't know if that is her house and besides if it is that's all just material worth, you're her father Nick, if you want to be a part of her life then you have every right to be … you just need to tread carefully."

"I do … I really do but it's not even like we can have shared custody is it? I mean what's going to happen once she's recovered from the procedure, they're going to go back to LA and we will still be here and it's not exactly like Carla can just stick her on a plane to spend every other weekend with me now is it?" Nick worried, his mind running away with him as he started to worry about every single worst case scenario.

"You need to just take it one step at a time; first you need to ring Carla and arrange a time to talk and then you need to meet your daughter because you can run through every single what if in your head but until you've met her, until you get to know her that's all they are Nick; what ifs.

Closing his eyes Nick ran his hand across the image of Summer before opening them again and looking up at the picture of Mason.

"Do you know what I don't understand? What are the odds of Summer being a match? I mean no one in your family matched, everyone else who was tested didn't match … Amy didn't match … and I know Michelle asked Carla to get her tested because she thinks they are half-siblings but … they don't have any biology in common so … what must those odds be?" Nick said voicing out loud a secret that he and Leanne had kept from everyone, a truth that only Nick, Leanne and Steve were aware of, that Mason Tilsley although in name and law he was Nick's son the reality was that he was biologically Steve McDonald's child.

Leanne rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I have no idea but she is … you heard Mason's consultant … she's a perfect match and I know it's strange and this may sound … crazy … but maybe she was meant to be his match, because if she wasn't then …. Carla never would have told you about her."

"Maybe," Nick muttered his eyes never leaving the image of Summer and the skateboard.

As Leanne watched her husband run his finger gently over the picture of his daughter she couldn't help but worry. Carla Connor was not exactly her favorite person in the world and she knew, just like everyone just how much her husband had been well and truly in love with the Underworld boss, even after she had broken his heart. And now they had a child together, a little-girl that was half him and half her something she had never been able to give him.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Swinging her legs back and forth 6-year-old Summer pointed her toes downwards her face contorting into a frown as she can't get them to reach the floor.

"You're still growing, they'll touch the floor soon," Carla tried to reassure her daughter.

Summer looked up at her mother, her eyes almost a carbon copy of her fathers. "Red is taller than me," she sulked.

"Red is also 2 years older than you," Carla pointed out. "And called Red … so I'm pretty sure you have nothing to be jealous of there," she added under her breath.

"Do you think if I eat all my greens I'll grow big and tall like a tree? A tree that is so tall it can reach the sky and touch the clouds and maybe if I can touch the clouds I can break a bit off and keep it in my bedroom with the piece of mermaid tail I found, that would be super cool," Summer wondered, her imagination running slightly away with her.

Michelle looked up from her coffee. "Mermaid tail?"

Carla threw her friend a warning glance, although judging by the look of excitement that flashed across the youngsters features it was a little too late, the door had already been opened.

"Yep," Summer sung. "Delta and I found a piece of mermaid tail when we were surfing last month, it's green and sparkly and it smells just like mermaid."

"Wow," Michelle exclaimed, playing along.

Reaching into her purse Carla handed Summer some coins. "How about a cookie?"

"Really? Before lunch?" Summer said, clearly surprised by this sudden turn in events.

Carla nodded and handed her the money, watching as her fiercely independent 6-year-old headed off to choose a sugary treat.

"Delta? Red?" Michelle laughed as she too watched Summer get down from the table.

"Red is … well let's just say they are a very interesting family, he's a nice kid though he helps Summer skate along with his twin sisters Snow and White," Carla replied with a totally straight face.

Michelle shook her head. "Now you're just winding me up."

"Am I," Carla smiled, a small teasing smile.

"And Delta?" Michelle wondered, unsure whether or not Carla was joking.

Carla watched as Summer headed back towards them. "Delta is our new-ish nanny."

"And he's the bestest surfer ever," Summer added, pulling herself back up to sit next to her mother as she handed her the change.

"He?" Michelle questioned with raised eyebrows. "You have a male nanny? A manny? How am I only just hearing this now? And what happened to Lauren?"

Summer took a large bite of her cookie. "Lauren moved to Misery."

"Missouri, she moved back home to Missouri," Carla corrected.

Summer shrugged her shoulders. "That's what I said," she argued, cookie crumbs flying everywhere.

"He's actually really good Chelle, Sum loves him and he can surf, ride a skateboard and all of that other stuff she loves that Jake and I are really, really terrible at, plus he can draw, you should see the mural he's done in the playroom," Carla told her as she finished off her coffee.

Michelle watched as her niece made good work of a cookie almost as large as her head. "Hey Sum Sum? Does your friend Red have any brothers or sisters?"

"Yep," Summer nodded. "Snow and White. They're twins."

Michelle couldn't help but laugh. "Wow."

"Told ya," Carla mouthed silently as she looked at her watch, her breath catching in her throat as she released what time it was.

Watching as her friends mood changed completely Michelle too clocked the time. "I should head off."

"Yeah,"Carla agreed. "Or you could stay," she countered, not really sure if she wanted to do this on her own.

"Mama-"

As her daughter's familiar Southern California accent broke through the doubt that was clouding her thoughts Carla smiled at her daughter, realizing that as long as she had her she would never be on her own. "Yes Bug?"

"Is that my bio … biolo … biologistical dad?" Summer questioned motioning the familiar figure that was stood just feet away.

Carla looked up and found herself face-to-face with Nick for the second time in 24 hours. "Yes. "How did you know?"

"Because it's the same man from the picture you showed me when you told me I had another dad," Summer reminded her.

Waving a silent goodbye to Michelle she turned her attention back to Summer as she ran her hand lovingly through her daughter's hair as she was suddenly reminded just how smart her 6-year-old was.

"So I did," Carla remembered.

Cautiously Nick approached the table, his eyes never leaving the small child sat next to her mother."Hi."

"Hi," Carla smiled tightly.

"Hi," Summer echoed.

Nick sat down being careful not to overcrowd her. "You must be Summer."

Summer nodded. "Yes and you're my … other dad," she hesitated, suddenly realizing that she had no idea what to call him as she knelt up on her chair and whispered something into her mother's ear.

Watching as the two had a private conversation Nick tried to recover from the shock of hearing his daughter speak with an American accent. Even though he knew she had been born and raised in Los Angeles for some reason it had not occurred to him that she would have an accent completely different from both her parents. Just another reminder on how much he had missed out on.

"Mama says I can call you what I feel comfortable calling you," Summer announced, breaking the silence.

"She's right, you can call me whatever you like," Nick agreed.

Summer furrowed her brows in a questioning manner. "What's your name?"

"I'm Nick," he told her, the fact that he was having to introduce himself to his 6-year-old daughter was not lost on him.

"Is that your big, whole, full, legal name?" Summer wondered. "Like my big, whole, full, legal name is Summer Hayley Connor … is yours just Nick …like Beyonce is just Beyonce and Pink is just Pink."

Stunned at the pop culture references she was throwing at him Nick shook his head. "No my big, whole … full … legal name is Nicholas Paul Tilsley but most people call me Nick."

"Do you get called Nicholas when you are in trouble?" Summer asked.

Nick couldn't help but laugh. "Yes. I guess I do."

"Mama brings out the whole name when I'm in trouble," Summer informed him. "Are you in trouble a lot? I'm not … usually it's because I didn't wash my sandy feet before going upstairs or because I was riding my skateboard in the house or too close to the pool … and then there was that one time when Betsy I and found a snake and kept it in the bathroom … she really wasn't happy about that," Summer told him, that last bit she almost whispered as if she was sharing a secret with him.

Not really sure how to answer her question about whether or not he was often in trouble Nick decided to change the subject. "Have you decided on somewhere to eat?"

"I want sushi … please may can we," Summer said, the last bit added after a warning glare from her mother.

"Sushi sounds good to me," Nick agreed. "Carla?"

Carla blinked rapidly to try and bring herself back to the present. "Yeah. Sushi is always a safe bet."

"Delta says I have really good taste in food for a kid," Summer proudly informed him.

"I bet. I don't think I know any other 6-year-old who would choose sushi," Nick agreed.

Summer let her mum help her into her coat. "And it's good because you can get vegan sushi."

"You're vegan?" Nick asked the youngster, genuinely shocked.

Summer shook her head. "Daddy is … I like vegan food but I also like stuff like In N Out, chicken tacos and tuna fish in my sushi."

"Vegan," Nick asked, unsure why the eating habits of Carla's other half shocked him so much.

Carla ignored his tone and just nodded. "Michelle was telling us about this sushi bar that has just opened up in Spinningfields … sounds worth a try."

"I can drive," Nick offered. "I mean Summer should fit into Mason's booster seat."

"Seriously?" Summer exclaimed. "I have to sit in a booster seat over here too? I thought as people could drink younger maybe I could get out of my booster seat younger," she huffed. "And how come you didn't make me sit in one on the way here? Or from the airport?"

Laughing Carla took hold of her daughter's hand as they headed towards the door. "Firstly. Yes you have to sit in a booster seat. Secondly, how do you even know what the legal drinking age is on either side of the Atlantic and lastly … that's because it was a taxi and you don't have to have a car seat in a taxi."

"Boo. Delta told me and how come? A taxi is still a car," Summer replied as they headed towards Nick's car.

"Remind me to have words with Delta when we get home," Carla muttered under her breath as Nick opened the car, motioning for Summer to climb in she buckled the youngster into the car seat.

Summer looked up at the chair in front of her. "Where's the screen?"

"Screen?" Nick frowned.

Summer nodded. "In our car we have a screen so I can watch cartoons when we are stuck in bumpity bumpity traffic."

"Bumpity bumpity traffic?" Nick smiled, turning towards Carla. "I mean I know your driving can be bad but-"

"She means bumper to bumper traffic … which is pretty much every morning and evening in LA," Carla explained.

Nick nodded. "Sorry. No TV screens in this car."

"It's only a few minutes away Bug," Carla reassured her daughter.

"Mama, what time is it in LA now?" Summer wondered, looking outside the window at the grey skies that surrounded them.

Carla looked at her watch, quickly working it out in her head. "About 5 in the morning."

"People will be getting up to surf soon," Summer muttered under her breath, annoyed that she was missing out.

Trying not to let the guilt get to her Carla watched as her daughter's face fell, the excitement of being somewhere new was starting to wear off and she was now realizing just how different life in Manchester was to life in LA.

"I know Bug, but the surf will still be there when we get back," Carla tried to reassure her.

Leaning her head on the window she rolled up her sleeve, playing tiredly with the two brightly colored plasters that were dotted across her arm from this morning's blood test. "When we get back to the hotel can we FaceTime Dad? He'll be up, he's always super early."

"Of course," Carla promised, trying to ignore the flash of pain that darkened Nick's features.

Pulling into a parking space Nick waited for them to get out of the car before feeding the meter. "I er … how are you liking Manchester then Summer?"

"Not very much," Summer admitted.

"How come?" Nick wanted to know, to see if there was anything he could do to make it better for her.

"There's no beach, there's no skatepark, it's wet and grey and there doesn't look like there is any sun, ever," Summer began, counting each one off on her fingers as she went along. "Dad's not here, Delta's not here, Aunt Amy isn't here, I can't go to school here, they keep taking my blood and it's ouch, the smoothies suck-"

"Carla glared at her daughter. "Summer Hayley-"

Summer looked up at her mother with, wide apologetic eyes. "Sorry. The smoothies are really bad," she corrected, taping her finger again. "My friends aren't here, my … oh, I've run out of fingers now," she laughed as they headed in to the sushi place.

"So really not liking it then," Nick surmised, already formulating a plan in his head to try and make it slightly better.

"I like seeing Auntie Chelle and it's ok because I'm here to help someone and that's what I want to do when I grow up, I want to help people, just like my Daddy does … of course only Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday though, on Thursday and Friday I'm going to be a professional skateboarder and then at the weekends a surfer," Summer explained as they were seated at a large, brightly colored booth.

Carla felt the need to explain. "Jake is a doctor."

"Daddy fixes broken hearts," Summer proudly added,

"He's a cardiac surgeon," Carla elaborated as she pulled a notebook and coloring pencils out of her bag.

Looking at the menu Summer frowned. "Can you help me Mama? It doesn't have pictures."

"You can read it Bug," Carla softly said, wrapping her arm around the little-girl's shoulder.

"I know but I don't recognize some of the names." Summer sighed. "It's all in Manchester language not American."

Carla bit her lip to stop herself from laughing as she guided Summer towards her favorite choices. "So it is."

"Phew, lucky you speak this language Mama otherwise I wouldn't have known that they have my favorites," Summer exclaimed, leaning her head on her mother's shoulder.

As they waited for their food both Nick and Carla were grateful for the young girl as she continued to talk non-stop the subject ranging from surfing to school with a little social commentary thrown in as the waitress brought over their drinks and Nick helped himself to a straw from the dispenser.

"Those are really bad for the world," Summer told him as her eyebrows creased into a frown.

As he found himself faced with her disapproval Nick couldn't help but think how much she looked like her mother in that very moment. "They are?"

Summer nodded. "Mm Hm."

Carla bit her bottom lip trying not to laugh as she knew that once Summer got started on ways to save the environment there would be no stopping her socially conscious 6-year-old.

"Daddy says we shouldn't use them." Summer began as she continued to frown. "Mama isn't allowed to use coffee cups either. Daddy bet her … she has to go a whole year without using paper cups and plastic bottles … he says that her cartoon footprint is too big."

"Carbon footprint," Carla corrected, as she watched a look of pain wash over Nick's face as he listened to Summer refer to someone else as her father.

Leaning back in her chair Summer watched as he removed the straw from his drink. "Did you know it takes 700 years for a plastic bottle to disappear?"

"No I didn't," Nick replied, continuously amazed by the young girl in front of him.

"It's true …. That's a long, long time … I'm going to be 7 soon and that's like a hundred years more than I've been alive," Summer told him.

Not wanting to correct her calculations Nick just nodded before changing the subject slightly. "When is the big day?"

"Big day?" Summer queried, confused by the question.

"Your birthday," Carla prompted.

Summer's face lit up at the mention of the big day. "New Years Eve. December 31st."

"That's my birthday too," Nick exclaimed, touched that they shared a special day.

Summer's eyebrows raised in surprise. "It's a cool birthday, last year I had my party on a boat … this year I'm going to have it at The Gentle Barn."

"You are?"Carla questioned.

"Yep," Summer sung. "Aunt Amy said I could."

Carla narrowed her eyes towards her daughter. "And what have I told you about what Aunt Amy says?"

"I know," Summer sighed. "But it would be a really cool place to have my party don't you think? I mean they have so, so, so many animals and it's super fun."

"We'll talk about it later," Carla promised. "There are still a few months to go yet."

Summer looked over at Nick as a small smile flickered across her lips. "She'll say yes," she whispered as their food arrived.

"Will I now?" Carla chuckled as she tucked into her food, suddenly feeling very hungry.

As they all began eating conversation was sparse, most of the talking coming from Summer as she kept throwing out arguments for why she should be allowed to have her upcoming birthday at The Gentle Barn in a bid to convince her mother that it was the right thing to do.

"She's tenacious," Nick observed.

"Tell me about it, she has an answer for everything," Carla agreed.

Summer looked between the two of them. "That's because I'm smart. I even have really smart blood you know? Mama says that's why we are here, because my blood is so smart that a little-boy needs some of it so it can teach his blood how to work properly."

Carla's breath caught in her throat at the mention of why they were here, of Nick's other child, the little-boy they were here to help; the little-boy that Summer had no idea was in most people's eyes her half brother.

"That's a very brave thing to do," Nick told her, genuinely grateful for what she was doing.

"I know," Summer agreed, puffing her chest out. "Mama says you know him? Is he your friend?"

Carla threw Nick a warning look, her eyes pleading with him not to open that can of worms, at least not now anyway, not when there was so much else going on for everyone to deal with.

"My best friend," Nick finally answered, not knowing what else to say.

Rolling up her sleeve Summer proudly showed him the bright pink plaster. "I had to have an injection today … I was really brave, wasn't I?" she said, the last question aimed at her mother.

"The bravest," Carla agreed.

"Just like you … when you had to have all the injections and yucky medicine to make the bad lump go away," Summer remembered not registering the look of fear that flashed across her mother's face.

"We should get going," Carla said as she motioned towards all the empty plates, desperate not to get into the past with Nick now, especially not that part of her past. She knew she had to be honest with him when it came to Summer and her life in LA but he didn't need to know everything.

As Nick insisted on paying the bill Carla watched as Summer yawned, her eyelids fluttering shut as the jet lag, time difference and excitement of the day began to catch up with her.

"My legs are sleepy," Summer yawned.

"Would you like me to carry you?" Nick offered, not sure if he was overstepping the mark or not but wanting to offer her some comfort as he watched her eyes drift shut, her head resting against her mother.

Summer nodded against her mother as Nick looked to Carla for permission, when she nodded her consent he carefully lifted the almost sleeping child into his arms, his heart breaking as he realized this was the first time he had held his daughter and she was nearly 7-years-old.

"Would you like me to take you back to the hotel?" Nick asked as he maneuvered the now fast asleep Summer into the car.

"I don't want to brush my hair," Summer mumbled in her sleep.

Smoothing a stray curl back from her face Carla smiled. "I'm not going to brush your hair," she reassured the young girl.

As they pulled out of the car park and straight into traffic Nick decided to break the silence. "What was Summer talking about when she said you had to have medicine to make the bad lump disappear?"

Carla knew this was coming as soon as Summer put the topic out there, but that didn't make it any easier. "It's nothing … it's in the past now …"

"If-"

"Look Nick … Summer is your daughter ok so if you have questions about her then I will answer, I owe you that much but when it comes to me and my life since I left Weatherfield well … that's off limits," Carla insisted, wanting him to know exactly where they stood.

Not wanting to let the subject go Nick sighed. "You're the mother of my daughter Carla, I … care … if you're sick I need to know because something like that it effects Summer, our daughter."

"I'm the picture of health," Carla reassured him, which was the truth for years now she had been healthier than she had ever been.

"Ok," Nick relented.

The rest of the journey passed in silence until they pulled up outside the hotel. "I want to be a part of her life Carla."

"I know," Carla breathed, the jet-lag catching up with her too.

"She's amazing, I know everyone probably thinks that about their child but … she's so smart and funny, the things she says … her view on the world … I mean my 6-year-old has more of a social conscious than I do," Nick remembered with a gentle chuckle.

Carla nodded. "That's all Jake's influence," she said without thinking.

"Jake. Right … Daddy," Nick bitterly remembered.

"If you want to be a part of her life you need to accept Jake's role in it, like I said the other day he's been there since she was 6-months-old, Summer loves him, I love him," Carla informed him, needing Nick to know the reality of the situation.

Nick looked over at his sleeping daughter and in that moment he realized he would do anything to stay a part of her life, even if it meant playing second best to someone he had never met."I know. And I will it's just this is all so new to me, I mean yesterday I didn't even know she existed and today I have a daughter, this perfect, beautiful little-girl who I know absolutely nothing about," Nick recapped, needing Carla to know just how hard this all was for him.

"I know I said it yesterday but I really am sorry Nick, I can't change the past and I can't make things all suddenly slot into place now but what I did, keeping her from you it was wrong even if at the time it seemed like my only option I should have put her first and told you," Carla apologized.

Nick watched as Carla yawned tiredly. "Look … you're exhausted so now isn't the time but sometime soon we need to talk. I want to know everything Carla, every little detail about her … about her life and then we need to figure out where we go from here."

"We will. I promise," Carla assured him as she lifted Summer out of the car and headed into the hotel, balancing her sleeping daughter on her hip as she stepped into the lift and leaned her head against the wall.

She knew what was coming, she knew that Nick would have realized that with them in LA and him in Weatherfield that sharing custody was more than just sitting down and working out which weekend she spent where, that whatever happened, whatever decision they came too whether she liked to admit it or not that her life would never be the same again.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Stepping out of the bathroom Carla added the finishing touches to her make-up before pulling her hair back into a pony tail and heading into the bedroom to the sound of her phone ringing, looking at the screen she smiled when she saw Michelle's name.

"Hi Chelle," she greeted, leaning the phone under her chin.

From her spot on the bed Summer couldn't hear what Michelle was saying but she could hear her mother's side of the conversation as she explained their plans for the day, which involved more tests at the hospital before going to meet some people whose name she didn't recognize at a place called The Bistro.

Opening her book to an empty page she frowned, waiting for her mum to hang up the phone before speaking. "Can we find a skate park today?"

"Sorry Bug but we have plans," Carla apologized, feeling her heart break as she watched the disappointment fall across her daughter's face.

Sighing loudly Summer slid down off the bed, planting her feet firmly on the ground before placing her hands akimbo style on her hips. "It's so unfair," she moaned. "I never get to do anything fun anymore, no skating, no surfing … I don't even get to go to school."

"Bug-"

"Don't call me that," Summer growled, cutting her mother off. "I'm not a baby anymore."

Shaking her head sadly Carla hated how frustrated the youngster was getting as she watched her grab the note book from the bed, walk over to the hotel room's small desk and start scribbling furiously across the page.

Walking over Carla knelt down beside her. "Bu … Sum I promise it's only for a little while longer."

"I'm writing about how much this sucks," Summer informed her mother, her eyes narrowed in protest at the whole situation.

Carla looked towards her daughter, her eyebrows raised in warning. "Summer Hayley Connor."

"Well it does suck," Summer insisted, knowing full well she was pushing her luck.

Resting her hand on her daughter's shoulder Carla sighed, she knew that everything going on was difficult and that at just 6-years-old Summer was too young to fully understand everything so some allowances had to be made but at the same time she knew that the youngster knew it was never acceptable to be rude.

"I'll let you off this time," Carla informed her sulking daughter. "But you need to watch that mouth Little Lady."

"It's not like I said fu-"

"Oi," Carla exclaimed, walking around the desk so she was facing the youngster head on. "I've been going easy on you Sum because I know you are angry and confused with everything that is happening right now but if this attitude continues there will be no more skateboarding or surfing for the rest of the year," she warned.

"I'm sorry," Summer mumbled as she continued her angry writing, not totally willing to give up on her bad mood just yet.

Leaving her daughter to her silent protest Carla busied herself in making sure they would have everything they needed for the day, before ringing the front desk to make sure that the rental car was ready and waiting for them.

"You ready Bug?" Carla asked.

Putting her pencils, note book and cuddly giraffe into her back pack Summer nodded. "No more needles today right?"

"No needles," Carla assured her.

"Good," Summer huffed as she followed her mother out of the hotel room.

CS – CS – CS

One ECG and chest x-ray later Carla and Summer walked into The Bistro to meet Michelle so that she could give Summer the chance to wind down before the rest of the family arrived.

"Hey Sum Sum," Michelle greeted, wrapping her arms around her niece.

Summer grunted a reply before walking over to an empty chair and sitting down as Michelle shot Carla a questioning look.

"What's with Little Miss Attitude?" Michelle asked as Carla took her coat off.

"She's mad at the world right now. Basically everything about this place is wrong, it's cold, there's no beaches, she misses her friends, Jake, Delta … hell she's even missing school," Carla explained.

Michelle wrapped her arm around her friend in a show of support. "It's all to be expected I guess."

"I know it's just … you know her Chelle, she's such a chilled kid and even when she does get sulky and moody it never lasts this long … I think we are entering a new record and I don't know what to do," Carla worried.

"Just be patient, it's all you can do really," Michelle reassured her friend.

Carla nodded. "And then today at the hospital we found out that it's going to be at least another few weeks before they can harvest her marrow because they don't want to take it until Mason's ready for transplant, don't get me wrong I'm not blaming him he's just a kid who didn't ask for any of this just like Summer but … she's my baby Chelle, I hate what all this upheaval is doing to her."

"She'll come round, she's your daughter which means she's made of pretty strong stuff," Michelle said as they walked over to join Summer.

As Carla sat down next to Summer she watched as the little-girl added a sun to the beach she was drawing. "That's beautiful. "

"It's Malibu," Summer replied, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

"Can I get you anything?" Michelle asked, as if suddenly remembering she was working still.

Carla looked up at her friend. "I'll just have a coffee please."

"Me too," Summer requested, puffing her chest out in a bid to make herself seem older.

"How about a smoothie?" Carla suggested.

"Or I make a mean milkshake," Michelle added.

Summer shook her head. "Nah uh, coffee please."

"Orange Juice? Apple? I'll tell you what I'll even break the rules and you can have a soda if you like," Carla offered, each one earning her a shake of the head.

"I want what you're having," Summer finally answered after a silent pause.

Carla ruffled her daughter's hair affectionately. "You know the rule about coffee Bug."

"I'm not allowed it until I'm old enough to need a wax," Summer said, repeating something she had obviously heard a few times before.

"Exactly," Carla nodded.

Summer sighed watching as Michelle brought over her mother's coffee. "All I want is a coffee."

"How about a mocha?" Michelle offered.

"What's that?" Summer wondered.

Michelle winked towards Carla before speaking. "It's one of our specialties it's a hot chocolate and coffee combined."

"Sounds good," Summer smiled, her first real smile of the day. "I like coffee and I like hot chocolate."

Carla shook her head in an amused manner knowing full well that the youngster had never had a coffee in her life. "One mocha for the Little Lady please," she agreed, knowing full well that Michelle would only be bringing over the hot chocolate part of the mocha.

Practically dancing in her seat Summer was over the moon at the fact she was being allowed a grown-up drink. "As I'm having a coffee does that mean I have to wax?"

"No," Carla reassured her daughter. "You're perfect the way you are, besides this is a one time only thing because you've had a difficult few days and have coped with them brilliantly."

Summer looked up at her mother. "I want to go home."

"I know Bug but like I said earlier we have to stay here for a few weeks yet, but like I also said I promise you I will find a skate park and then tomorrow as we have no hospital appointments you and I are going to go shopping for a new board, deal?" Carla said, reminding her of the conversation they had earlier whilst waiting for her appointment.

Summer sighed. "It's not the same."

"You know Bug it's ok to be angry but we are here for a little while longer yet, I know it's not what you want, it's not what I want either but how about we make the most of it yeah?" Carla suggested.

"I want my blood to help the boy Mama but … I just miss … I miss my bed and I miss Dad … I wish he was here, it's weird without him," Summer admitted.

Carla rested her head on top of hers. "I know Little Bug. Me too."

"Can we call him?" Summer asked.

"When we get back to the hotel, he'll probably be in surgery now," Carla pointed out.

Summer was silent for a few minutes as her eyebrows creased and her tongue pocked out slightly just like it always did when she was thinking about something. "Mama? You know how Daddy is a doctor that saves lives? With my blood helping the boy does that make me a doctor too?"

"It sure does Dr. Connor," Carla exclaimed as she heard a small commotion come from the door as Johnny, Jenny, Aidan and Kate walked in and headed over to the bar.

"Sum, remember what we said earlier about how we are meeting some new people today?" Carla began, even though they had already spoken a few times about meeting her family she wanted to make sure she was fully prepared, especially with the mood Summer had been in all day.

Taking a sip of her hot chocolate Summer nodded. "Yep. Johnny, Kate and Aidan," she remembered.

"And they are?" Carla prompted.

"My Manchester Granddad, Aunt and Uncle," Summer replied.

Carla lifted her head up off of Summer's as she gently turned the little-girl around to face her. "And are you ok with that? Because if you are too tired or overwhelmed by everything that has already happened today we can wait, they'll understand."

"What does over … whelmed mean?" Summer questioned.

"It's when your emotions are too much and you don't know how to deal with them," Carla responded.

Summer thought about this for a few minutes before flashing her mother a smile. "I'm good … my emotions are not … overwhelmed… they are whelmed."

"I love you so much Little Bug," Carla whispered as she took Summer by the hand and walked over to the bar.

At the bar Michelle had warned Johnny, Kate and Aidan to wait for Carla to make the first move rather than going over there before mother and daughter were ready.

"Hi," Carla greeted, suddenly feeling nervous even though she had spoken to them all on the phone just hours earlier.

Johnny was unable to contain himself anymore and wrapped his arms around his oldest child suddenly realizing how much he had missed her. "You look good," he told her as hellos were exchanged and they made their way back over to the booth.

Wanting to be in on the grown-up conversation Summer stood up on tiptoes to make herself taller. "Do I look good too?" she asked.

"You are the most beautiful little-girl in the world," Johnny honestly exclaimed as he watched his granddaughter hating himself for having missed out on her growing up just like he missed out on Carla growing up.

"The most stylish too," Kate added, taking in the outfit Summer was wearing.

Summer twirled around showing off her clothes. She was wearing a pair of ankle length pale denim dungarees with a long sleeved black and white star print shirt underneath and a red hooded jersey waistcoat over the top.

"I pick out all of my own outfits," Summer proudly told her.

"I have a granddaughter," Johnny whispered, turning his attention to Carla as he watched Kate and Summer interact, the pair seeming to form an instant bond as the youngest of the two took Kate by the hand and insisted she sit down next to her before handing her some pencils and instructing her how to draw the perfect surfboard.

"Yeah," Carla whispered, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "And I have a daughter … you know even now 6 years down the line I still find it hard to believe that I can do this … that I can be the mother she deserves," she admitted, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Johnny watched as Summer laughed at something Kate was saying. "She's perfect Carla and that's all down to you. Considering the role model you had … you're incredible."

"Thank-you," Carla breathed.

Just seconds later a short blonde woman approached the table talking a mile a minute. "Mrs Connor, someone said that they had seen you in here but I didn't believe it so I had to come and see for myself and … you're really back … does that mean you are here to buy Underworld back-"

"Sally. Hi," Carla greeted.

Summer looked up from her drawing. "You talk funny," she laughed.

Trying not to laugh at Summer's observation Carla turned her attention back to her old employee. "It's good to see you too Sal … but now's really not a good time, I'm sort of in the middle of something."

"Oh right yes," Sally stammered. "It's good to have you back," she added before walking back over to her table.

"Who that?" Summer wondered.

"Who is that," Carla corrected.

Summer frowned. "Who is that," she echoed.

"Someone that used to work for me," Carla explained.

"Ah … she talks funny," Summer observed repeating her earlier statement. "Is that because she speaks Manchester language?"

Carla chuckled. "No. That's because she speaks Sally Webster."

"Talking of accents … you have the best accent ever," Kate told her niece.

Summer nodded. "I have a Californian accent because that's where I was born and raised. Daddy has a New York accent because that's where he was born and raised."

"And your mother speaks Manchester right?"Kate guessed.

"No. Silly. Mummy speaks English," Summer corrected her. "Which is a lot like American it just has some different words …. like she calls pants trousers, that's weird right?"

Kate laughed at her niece having instantly fallen in love with the young girl. "Very weird."

"Do you like coffee?" Summer asked as she took another sip of her now lukewarm 'mocha'.

"Sometimes," Kate replied.

Summer finished her drink. "Auntie Chelle made me a coffee, it was awesome."

"She did?" Kate queried, very much doubting that Carla would be letting her 6-year-old drink coffee.

"Hot chocolate," Carla mouthed.

"I bet it was good, Auntie Chelle is very good at making coffee," Kate said, going along with the little white lie.

The rest of the afternoon passed with comfortable conversation, good food and Summer keeping herself the centre of attention at all times as she got to know the new people in her life, people that she had taken an immediate shine too much to Carla's delight as she realized that perhaps the next few weeks wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Mama can Auntie Kate come to the skate park with us tomorrow?" Summer asked, climbing down from her seat and up onto her mother's lap.

"If she likes," Carla agreed.

Summer twisted around to face Kate. "Please?"

"Sounds good," Kate nodded.

"Mama is taking me to buy a new board first as we didn't pack mine, I already have one in LA but because I've been really brave I'm getting a new one and it's not even my birthday," Summer explained her face lighting up at the idea of a new board.

Johnny watched as Summer headed back over to Kate. "Little daredevil you have on your hands there eh?"

"Just a little," Carla laughed.

"Reminds me of another little-girl," Johnny pointed out.

Carla watched as Summer taught Kate some elaborate handshake. "Kindred spirits."

"I didn't mean Kate," Johnny told her, his eyes misting over as he once again realized how much he had missed out in.

"Johnny-"

Johnny shook his head, not wanting her to feel like she has to apologize, not after he had spent 40 years denying her paternity. "It's ok, we understand … you did what you had to do for you and Summer and that's all that matters. Anyway you're here now so just expect to see lots of us over the next few weeks, I plan on making the most of having you both here."

As the plates were cleared away Summer curled up on the seat between her mother and aunt, her eyes fluttering shut as she fell asleep.

"I'm surprised she lasted this long," Aidan laughed, he had noticed her yawning hours earlier.

"She's always been a stubborn little madam," Carla said as a bottle of red wine was brought over. "Water for me please, I don't drink anymore," she reminded them.

Johnny took the glass away. "Oh right, sorry."

"So what business are you in now?" Aidan asked.

"Restaurants, hotels … a little bit of everything really," Carla answered not wanting to get too deep into the subject of business and finances as she knew that Aidan was struggling with the factory.

"Oh give over," Michelle interjected, slightly tipsy by this point. "What was it that article from last year said … the one about your multi-million dollar grossing company?"

Carla blushed. "I do alright," she shrugged, trying to play it down.

"If making close to 25 million in one year is fine then I'd hate to know what you consider good," Michelle laughed, helping herself to another glass of wine.

From his spot at the table Aidan almost choked on his drink. "25 million?"

"Ok I do more than fine," Carla admitted. "I've been lucky."

If it was anyone else in the world Carla would have been grateful for the interruption but as Gail approached the table Carla would have given anything to go back to talking about business.

"I heard you were back," Gail said scowled, skipping the pleasantries.

Not sure how much Nick had told her Carla was grateful as the man in question arrived and headed over to the table.

"Mum, why don't you go and get us a table, I need to speak to Carla," Nick suggested, making it clear that it was an order and not a request.

"Are you sure-"

When Gail didn't take the hint Nick sighed loudly. "Mum."

"Fine. I'm walking away," Gail huffed as she walked over to their allocated table.

"Have you got a minute?" Nick asked.

Carla motioned over towards the sleeping Summer, silently asking Kate to keep an eye on her. "Sure."

Wrapping her coat around herself Carla followed Nick outside. "How much does she know?"

"She doesn't know that Summer is mine if that's what you're asking, but I will have to tell her, she has a right to know, she is Summer's grandmother after all," Nick bitterly reminded her.

"Thank-you," Carla said, genuinely grateful that he was giving her more time to adjust to all of the new changes before unleashing Gail Platt on to her.

Nick nodded. "When can we talk?"

"Tomorrow? I could ask Michelle or Kate to look after Summer so that we can have a proper chat," Carla promised.

"Sounds good," Nick agreed as much as he would have liked to see Summer again he knew that he needed to talk to Carla alone and with how complicated things were right now he also knew that things might get heated between them and the last thing he wanted was for Summer to be exposed to that.

Nick went back inside leaving Carla with nothing but her thoughts until a few minutes later when a very tipsy Michelle joined her.

"Sorry," Michelle apologized leaning against her oldest friend.

Carla frowned. "For what?"

"Saying what I did about the money, I know you feel uncomfortable knowing how much everyone is struggling but … I'm just so proud of everything you've achieved," Michelle told her.

"You know if you ever need anything all you have to do is ask," Carla insisted.

Michelle nodded. "I know. Is everything ok?"

"It's all going to change," Carla whispered suddenly voicing her biggest fear out loud.

"It doesn't have to," Michelle tried to reassure her.

Slowly Carla shook her head. "It will though, Nick won't just let us fly back to LA and get on with our life without him and I don't blame him, I hated Johnny for not owning up sooner and I'm doing the same to my daughter; I've turned her life into a lie."

"It's not the same," Michelle argued. "You did what you did because you knew it was the right thing at the time to give you and that little baby growing inside you the best start in life. You forget … I saw you in Devon, I was there for rock bottom Car and I can hand on heart say that if you hadn't left when you did then neither of you would have survived. Being here was poisoning you and although I was angry at you for giving up at the time … I understand now … it was about survival Carla."

"That's what I keep telling myself but the truth is I did have a choice Chelle," Carla admitted.

Michelle wrapped her arms around her. "Don't do this to yourself Carla, don't let the past infect the future … everything you have achieved, the mother you have become … the incredible daughter you've raised … none of that would have happened if you'd stayed here and we both know that. You need to tell Nick the truth Carla, you need to tell him what happened in Devon, he won't understand unless he knows everything … knows you had no choice."

"I can't," Carla cried. "But I can't lose what I have Chelle. LA, Jake, Summer it's where I was supposed to end up it's all Sum knows she's such a happy well adjusted child and that's not just because of me it's Jake too. I know he's not her father not biologically anyway but he is Chelle and I love him but Nick has rights, rights I took away from him … rights he can claim back," Carla worried.

"What does Jake say about all of this?" Michelle wondered, suddenly feeling very sober.

Carla closed her eyes, remembering back to her earlier conversation with Jake. "He wants to fly over, be here for the operation."

"That's good right?" Michelle said wondering why Carla didn't seem to happy about the prospect of him coming over to be with them.

"I want him here," Carla admitted. "More than anything I want him by my side but if Nick sees him … sees him with Summer it's going to make things worse, the bond they have … he won't like it, hearing Summer calls someone else Daddy is one thing but actually seeing it well … how am I going to make this work Chelle? How am I going to keep my daughter's whole world from imploding?" Carla cried as she leaned into her best friend, grateful that she had one person on this side of the Atlantic that she could be 100% honest with otherwise she feared she would go mad.


	5. Chapter 5

First I just want to say a massive SORRY. It has been a crazy long time since I last updated this but real life really got in the way. Since the last chapter I have completed my Masters, left my old job, moved to a different country and had to take on the responsibility of a new department. Phew. Anyway now things are settled I hope to update at least weekly.

5.

From her spot on the opposite side of the table Carla watched as Summer's eyebrows creased in confusion as she examined the edge of her fork.

"I don't understand," Summer said, looking up at her aunt.

Kate watched as Summer pushed the food around her plate. "Understand what?"

Biting the inside of her cheek Carla tried to stop herself from laughing as she sat back and decided to let her sister deal with Summer's questioning.

"What this is … it's … weird," Summer pointed out as she stabbed one of the small orange beans in question.

"It's baked beans." Kate replied, not really sure what was going on and why her 6-year-old niece seemed to be examining her breakfast as if it was a new species of animal she had discovered.

"And you really eat this stuff? For breakfast?" Summer wondered before bringing the fork up to her mouth, reaching out her tongue she licked one before putting it back down on her plate.

"Breakfast, lunch, dinner … you can have them with pretty much anything," Kate explained, genuinely bemused by the fact her niece had apparently never encountered baked beans before.

Looking up at her mum Summer raised her eyebrows. "They really make their children eat this stuff over here?"

"It's good for you," Carla told her daughter, still trying to keep herself from laughing.

"How?" Summer wanted to know as she picked one up and rolled it between her fingers. "It's like beans in watery ketchup, beans don't go with ketchup they go with salad and stuff like that … this is just weird and you can't make me eat it," she told them pushing her plate away.

Looking around Carla was grateful that Roy wasn't around to see her daughter's reaction to a cooked breakfast. "And here was me thinking you were up for trying anything once."

"I tried it," Summer argued. "And I don't approve."

"Oh is that right?" Carla chuckled.

Summer nodded her head, sitting back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest. "Yes. It's weird and orange and … not real food. Please can I have something else?"

"Like what?" Kate wondered. "If you were at home now what would you be having for breakfast?" she asked, keen to find out more about her niece's life in LA.

Sitting up Summer crossed her arms in front of her on the table. "Well if Daddy is working and Mama is in charge of breakfast then easy stuff like fruit, cereal, oatmeal … stuff like that … stuff you can't burn because she's not the greatest cook. Daddy cooks cool stuff though, pancakes with a smiley faces, omelets, eggs and all sorts of fun stuff."

"So no baked beans then?" Kate laughed.

Carla shook her head. "It's not really a California staple."

"Where in LA are you guys living?" Kate wondered.

"Malibu," Summer replied, taking a mouthful of egg, a food she was used to eating.

Kate whistled. "I bet that's nice, lots of women in bikinis-" she stopped, suddenly remembering the young age of her audience.

"It's ok," Carla reassured her. "She knows what a lesbian is… her best friend at school has 2 mums."

Kate smiled. "Very LA."

"It means you love girls," Summer piped up, her mouth still full of egg.

Clearing her throat loudly Carla sent the youngster a warning look. "Manners."

Quickly Summer finished her mouthful. "Sorry. It means you love girls," she repeated.

"That's right," Kate said wrapping her arm around her nieces shoulder.

"What's the name for someone who loves surfing?" Summer wondered.

Both women seemed to think about this for a few moments before Carla finally answered. "A daredevil."

"I'm a daredevil, Aunt Kate is a Lesbian and Mama is an empty piano," Summer proudly stated as she helped herself to some orange juice.

"I'm a what?" Carla asked, almost spitting out her a coffee.

"An empty piano," Summer repeated.

Carla shook her head in amusement. "And what does an empty piano do … or love?"

"It's what Aunt Amy said you are because your are super rich and have lots of businesses," Summer explained.

"An entrepreneur," Carla realized, suddenly understanding what her daughter was trying to say.

Summer shrugged. "I think empty piano sounds better."

"Me too," Kate agreed. "I mean who doesn't want to be an empty piano. Aunt Amy?" she asked, directing the last part at Carla.

"Amelia, she's one of my closest friends in LA, I've known her since pretty much the first few months I moved there, she was my sponsor," Carla explained.

"Aunt Amy makes movies … you never see her though because she is behind the camera," Summer added.

Looking up at the clock Carla realized that she had just minutes before she had to meet Nick. "Are you sure you don't mind taking her for the morning?"

"No. In fact I'm looking forward to it," Kate assured her.

Carla stood up and moved around to the other side of the table, bending down she rested her hand on top of Summer's. "I'll be back real soon ok?"

"I know," Summer nodded. "Aunt Kate and I are going to have so much fun."

Carla kissed the top of her head. "I know you are. Aunt Kate is pretty cool."

"I'm cooler though," Summer insisted.

"Of course," Carla smiled before mouthing a thank you to Kate and heading over to meet Nick at The Bistro.

Walking in to the familiar surroundings she spotted him straight away sat in the very corner table away from the other patrons.

"Hi," he greeted.

"Hi," Carla echoed, suddenly feeling very nervous. "Can I get you a drink?" she offered.

Nick looked down at his empty cup. "I'll have the same again."

Carla nodded, realizing he was testing her, trying to see if she remembered how he took his coffee. "Americano, small splash of milk, no sugar?"

"Right," Nick smiled tightly.

Walking over to the bar Carla placed their orders with Michelle who was watching her friend carefully as she drummed her finger tips nervously against the counter.

"If it gets too much," Michelle began, glancing over at Nick.

"I'll send out an SOS," Carla reassured her.

Resting her hand on top of her best friend's fidgeting fingers Michelle used her other hand to lift her head so she was looking directly at her. "You've got this Car … you're not the same person you were back then but Nick deserves to know why … and I think you need this too … you need to tell him, everything … so you can let go of the past once and for all."

"I know," Carla agreed.

With a small reassuring smile Michelle handed Carla her drinks, balancing them carefully in her hand she slowly made her way back over to the table.

"Everything ok?" Nick asked, sensing that she seemed a lot more nervous than she had when she left to get the coffee.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Carla breathed. "I guess I'm just trying to figure out where to start." She admitted.

Nick turned slightly in his seat so he was facing her. "Not to sound too much like a cliché but the start always seems like a good place."

"Which one … I mean there's been so many fresh starts, new beginning after new beginning … it's just … Weatherfield … you know everything that happened here, why I left," Carla reminded him.

"Ok. Well you said you found out you were pregnant the morning you left, did you suspect before?" Nick asked.

Carla took a long, deep breath. "Yes … a few weeks before."

"Why didn't you say anything? We were still together then," Nick pointed out.

"I wanted to wait until after the wedding … at least that's what I kept telling myself but the truth is I was scared. I'd been pregnant before … I allowed myself to fall in love with the idea of being a mother and then in a second it was all gone. When I suspected I was in such a difficult place … I loved you … more than I had ever loved anyone and I wanted it all; you, me and a baby. But what happened with Robert, what I did … it was always there, clouding everything and I thought if I just ignored it then everything would be ok," Carla said, trying to put into words the tornado of emotions she was feeling at that point in her life.

"That morning … something was different … I was sick … really sick, at first I thought I was just heartbroken but I had to know. So I bought a test, 2 lines later and it was real I was pregnant and you hated me … I'm not blaming you, you had every right to hate me … I hated me … it's just after the first time, everything I went through with Peter when I was pregnant … I couldn't do it again so I did the only thing I could to survive. I left," Carla finished, wrapping her fingers around her cup in a bid to stop her hands from shaking.

Nick watched as she tried to compose himself. "You said that you were going to tell me? The other night, when you came to the house you said that you planned to tell me once you had settled down in Devon … what changed?"

"Everything," Carla whispered. "I thought getting away from Weatherfield was the answer but it wasn't … that house, Devon … it was supposed to be our new life, a chance to have everything we ever wanted. Instead I was alone, terrified and facing a future that … just seemed so hopeless. I was bleeding … just a little but the sickness and the cramping it was always there, some days I couldn't even get out of bed … I was convinced she wouldn't survive … that I was going to lose another baby so I … I was drinking … even now when I remember back to that time I hate myself, the person I was … when I think of what I could have done to her."

Carla stopped, taking a series of deep breath before finally feeling strong enough to continue. "A few weeks after I left I woke up and the pain was unbearable … the sheets were covered in blood and I was sweating … my skin was on fire but I couldn't stop shaking … I called Michelle … begged her to help me … and then they were there … the pills and the booze … you were gone … I thought my baby was gone so I wanted to be gone too."

"Carla-"

"Please, let me finish." Carla pleaded.

Nick nodded, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "Ok."

"Michelle found me … it was bad … worse than last time … I spent 2 days in intensive care, had surgery for a burst ovarian cyst, I was septic … my body was shutting down but she was still there… still hanging on, when I heard her heartbeat it was 5 days after the pills. They warned me that with everything my body had been through I could still miscarry, that she might not survive … they suspected I had already miscarried and that it was probably twins but … she was still there and it was in that moment that I knew; things had to change," Carla remembered her body physically aching as she thought back to that time of her life, to rock bottom.

"When I was discharged I headed straight for the airport. There was a flight for LA and I just booked myself on it, I thought it was a sign because LA has always been good for me," Carla explained. "When I got there I booked myself straight into rehab, it was this incredible place away from everything. I had no phone, no way on contacting anyone but that was what I needed. It was just me and my baby … I was taking back control," Carla finished finally feeling strong enough to lift her cup and take a sip of the now cold coffee.

Nick's heart was breaking at everything she had been through, at how hopeless and out of control she had felt but he still couldn't bring himself to understand why it took so long for her to tell him. "I'm sorry things were so bad, really I am but you've had 6 years Carla."

"I was 6 months pregnant when I left rehab, I needed to make a home, somewhere I could bring my daughter back to and with the help of Susie and Amelia I did and then she was here … and she was so perfect that the idea of coming back here … of this place poisoning her like it had everything else in my life … I couldn't cope with that, just the idea of it sent me into a panic," Carla admitted.

"I could have come to you," Nick argued.

Carla nodded. "Yeah, you could have. I tried calling, writing and even sending e-mails but somehow I managed to convince myself that you were better off without me, without us, that I had already ruined your life enough. Then I heard you were back with Leanne and she was just about to have your baby. You had a family Nick … and so did I … I didn't see how we could ever make it work."

Nick looked down at the table. "It wasn't just your choice to make."

"I didn't think it was fair to make you chose between your children, I was never going to move back to Manchester and you had a new life and a child there. Summer and I we work Nick, in LA it works. Now I'm not trying to make out that it's this magical place that makes everything perfect but it works for us. I have family there, friends, and businesses. Summer has family, friends, school, hobbies … a house that is steps away from the beach … she surfs, skateboards, volunteers at care homes, cares about the environment and wants everyone to be happy because being happy is all she knows," Carla smiled as she thought about her daughter who was a perfect mix of everything good.

"And Jake. She has Jake there," Nick pointed out, unable to hide his bitterness when it came to the other man in his daughter's life.

Carla nodded, avoiding eye contact with him. "Yes. We have Jake. I love him Nick … he's my grounding force … I've never known anyone like him. When I met him I was a single mother to a 6-month-old daughter, he was the friend of a friend who made me laugh and then he became my friend and somewhere along the way I fell in love with him and so did Summer … I won't take that away from her Nick."

"Why even bother telling me I have a daughter?" Nick wondered. "If there's no place for me in her life … why?"

"Because she might be able to save Mason's life," Carla reminded him.

Nick bit his bottom lip, shame washing over him. "I know. But … I can't just walk away Carla. She's my daughter, just like Mason is my son and I would die for my children so … don't make me walk away."

"I will not keep her from you Nick. But I won't stay here either, as soon as the operation is done and Summer is well enough we're going back. And I don't know what that means for you but if you really want this, really want to be a part of her life then we will find a way," Carla vowed knowing that after everything she had put him through she owed him the chance to at least try, but not if it came at the detriment of her daughter.

Nick looked straight ahead. "She's …"

"One of a kind," Carla finished for him as his voice trailed off, lost somewhere that she couldn't find him.

"It's been a matter of days that I've known her but already I couldn't imagine my life without her," Nick admitted.

Carla reached out cautiously placing her hand on top of his. "We can make this work … it's what we all want so … we can do it … we can find a way."

"Even Jake? Is that what he wants too?" Nick wondered, trying to imagine how he would feel if it was the other way around, if Steve woke up tomorrow and suddenly decided he wanted to be Mason's father.

Sighing Carla pursed her lips together. "Jake is … like I said … unlike anyone I have ever met before. He comes from this amazing family that actually enjoy spending time together, they tease each other, support each other and just … he knows you are Summer's father, he's always known and he's ok with that, he wants what is best for Summer … for her to always have an awareness of who she is and where she came from because … that's what he's like. His parents … his sisters … they know too and it doesn't matter … none of it matters … they just love in this crazy, mad, unconditional way that-"

Carla stopped shaking her head she remembered back to when she had first met Jake's family, how she had struggled to comprehend that a family really could love like that with no limitations and no conditions. A family with no secrets, no lies, no hidden agendas that just genuinely wanted everyone to be happy.

"It terrified me at first, suffocated me … it was too perfect … but then I realized that it wasn't perfect; they argue, they make mistakes but at the end of it all they are there for each other and they supported our decision, when we told them about the transplant and how it would mean bringing you into our lives … they get it," Carla told him.

"You know I'll have to tell my mother?" Nick informed her, needing her to realize that whilst everything in LA might be sunshine, sand and surfing, that here in Weatherfield it was a different story. But it was his story and his family and as much as he knew his mum would not make things easy he also knew she had a right to know her granddaughter.

Carla finished her cup of coffee. "I know … just not yet, please?"

"It will have to be soon though," Nick insisted. "She's already asking questions, you know what the rumor mill is like here."

"I just need to talk to Summer first. Ok?" Carla pleaded.

"Ok," Nick agreed.

Looking down at her phone Carla saw that she had 2 missed calls from Kate. "Er, I should ring her back, make sure Summer is ok."

Pressing the dial button on her phone Carla listened to the ringing tone before Kate finally answered.

"Hey," Kate practically sung immediately putting Carla's mind at rest. "Before you start panicking Short Stuff is totally fine, all limbs still intact, no injuries … maybe just a little bit of a sugar high but it's my prerogative to spoil her."

Carla couldn't help but laugh at Kate's light-hearted teasing. "Good. Everything else ok?"

"Yeah. I was just ringing to see if I could take her to the cinema tonight? I'll bring her back in one piece I promise," Kate asked as she watched Summer eyeing up the shelves of books.

"Sure," Carla agreed. "Can I have a quick word with her?"

Carla listened as Kate called Summer to the phone before her daughter's familiar LA accent filtered through the speaker.

"Hola Mama," Summer sang.

"Hola," Carla echoed. "Are you being good for Aunt Kate?"

Summer nodded even though her mother could not see. "Always. Aunt Kate said that I'm the best shopping partner she's ever had … but that next time we are taking your credit card."

"Good. Good. Listen Sum Sum how do you fancy going to the cinema with Aunt Kate tonight and then tomorrow you and I can spend the day together?" Carla suggested.

"That would be awesome," Summer exclaimed. "We looked earlier and there is lots of awesome films on and they do popcorn and soda."

Carla chuckled at her daughter's excitement. "I might have to talk to Aunt Kate about putting a limit on your sugar intake Little Miss Excitable."

"Can I have a sleepover with Aunt Kate?" Summer asked.

"If Aunt Kate says it's alright then I don't see why not," Carla agreed.

In the blink of an eye Carla could hear Summer calling out to Kate. "Aunt Kate … Mama needs to talk to you and you need to say yes. Ok?"

"The answer is yes," Kate said, taking back the phone.

"You don't even know what I'm going to ask," Carla laughed. "Summer wants to know if she can sleep at yours tonight?"

Kate ran her hand affectionately through her niece's wild curls. "Of course."

"Great well I'll drop a bag off her stuff off at yours and then text you to arrange a time to pick her up tomorrow. Give her a kiss from me yeah?" Carla said as Kate followed after her niece who was now loaded with an armful of books.

"Will do," Kate agreed, hanging up the phone.

Putting her phone away Carla turned her attention back to Nick deciding that now was probably the best time to bring this trip down memory lane to a close. "I should go."

"Yeah. Me too," Nick agreed. "Listen I know going back over everything that happened before Summer was born wasn't easy for you so … thank-you."

Carla waved her hand tiredly in front of her. "You had a right to know. I'll be I touch, soon, I promise."

"Look after yourself," Nick smiled.

"You too," Carla replied as she turned to leave, making her way over to the bar she leaned her hands tiredly on the cool surface as a pair of familiar hands covered her eyes.

"Guess who," he whispered into her ear, his familiar New York accent immediately making her weak at the knees.

As he removed his hands from her face Carla turned around, looping her arms around his neck she rested her head on his chest, breathing in his familiar scent as he wrapped his arms around her. "You have no idea how pleased I am to see you."

"I know you said to wait but … I missed you," Jake smiled as he felt her tiny frame shake against him.

"Thank-you for not listening," Carla whispered.

Running his hand gently up and down her back in an attempt to calm her he rested his head on hers. "I did listen, only I listened to what you weren't saying."

"Which is exactly why I love you," Carla yawned.

Just meters away from them Nick watched the interaction between Carla and Jake, unable to hide his jealousy as he watched her practically melt into the others mans arms. A man who from everything he had heard had pieced her back together, given her a new life, a family, a life without him, a life where his daughter called some else 'Daddy'.


	6. Chapter 6

I know I said updates would be weekly and that was the plan but I must have forgotten to upload this chapter to my document manager before I went on holiday. Sorry. Also I know Nick may seem a little out of character in this part but all will be revealed. I promise.

Thank you so much to everyone that took the time to review. It means a lot and genuinely inspires me to keep writing this story.

6.

Rolling over in the large king size bed it took Carla a few seconds to remember where she was and how she had fallen asleep as she felt Jake's arm draped across her waist as he started to stir.

"Morning," she whispered into his ear, practically rolling on top of him.

"Morning," Jake echoed pulling her all the way onto him so that her head was resting on his bare chest just below his right shoulder.

Carla closed her eyes and hummed a gentle sigh of contentment. "I've missed this, waking up with you."

"Me too," Jake agreed.

"I'm so glad you're here," Carla whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears.

Pushing himself into a sitting position Jake pulled her body into his so she was curled up in his lap before gently placing his fingers under her chin so she was looking at him. "Hey," he soothed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Carla hedged, but as she looked into his eyes she realized that she couldn't lie to him. "Everything. Being back here, seeing everyone, Nick knowing about Summer … everything has changed Jake, the train is rolling down the hill and I don't know how to stop it."

"Everything is going to be ok," Jake tried to reassure her.

Carla shook her head. "You don't know that."

"Yes I do," Jake insisted.

"You don't, no one does," Carla worried.

Jake wrapped his arms gently around her. "I know it may seem like that now but it will be ok. I know that's hard to believe but Summer is made of strong stuff and so are you. And from everything you've told me about Nick he's not a vindictive person, he may be angry and frustrated now but he'll come to realize that we all have to work together, that at the end of the day all that matters is Summer and Mason."

"What did I do to deserve you?" Carla breathed, her voice hitching on each word.

Even though the question was rhetorical Jake couldn't help but answer. "You Carla Connor are the most incredible woman I have every met. You have overcome more than any one person should have to endure and you are … fierce, annoyingly independent and you make me happy. Being with you, being Summer's Dad … it's everything I never knew I wanted I more."

"I love you," Carla smiled pushing herself up so that she was sat straddling his lap.

"I love you too," Jake said, leaning forward and pulling her into him as his lips rested against hers.

Returning the kiss Carla closed her eyes and let herself just be in the moment as she realized just how much she had missed him, not just the physical side of waking up next to him every morning but how safe and at ease his presence made her feel.

"What time did you say your sister was dropping Sunny off?" Jake asked as their lips finally parted.

"I didn't," Carla smiled. "We didn't arrange a time. I said I would pick her up from Kate's place," she added as she rolled off of him, pulling him down with her.

"We should get a shower. We-"

Reaching over she placed her finger over his lips before leaning forward and silencing him with a kiss. "After. First … I want to show you just how much I've missed you."

CS – CS- CS

As she spotted the familiar figure walking towards the café hand-in-hand with her mother Summer let go of her Aunt's hand and ran straight toward them.

Watching as she ran into the road Jake sprinted towards her, grabbed her in his arms and pulled her onto the pavement just seconds before a car came swerving around the corner.

"Bug, please don't ever scare me like that again," Carla warned gently as she approached the pair.

Realizing she was wrong Summer nodded. "Sorry. I just saw Daddy and my brain stopped working."

"I know exactly how you feel Sum, he has that effect on me too but we never run into the road. Ok?" Carla said not wanting Summer to get upset but at the same time needing her to know that it was not allowed.

Summer nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around Jake. "Ok."

"Good," Carla sighed, as she finally felt her heartbeat begin to slow.

"Daddy I didn't know you were coming," Summer smiled, her smile so wide her eyes were sparkling.

Jake peppered kisses all across her face. "I know, that's because I wanted to surprise you."

"I'm surprised. Good surprised, I missed you so, so, so, so much," Summer sung as she wriggled down out of his arms, slipping one hand into his and the other into her mother's as they headed back towards the café where Kate was waiting for them.

"I am so sorry," Kate apologized.

"It's ok," Carla reassured her.

Reaching out his spare hand Jake turned his attention to the younger woman. "Hi, you must be Kate. I'm Jake."

"It's nice to meet you," Kate smiled, turning towards Carla and raising her eyebrows in an appreciative manner.

"Aunt Kate is a lesbian," Summer announced, not wanting the grown-ups to forget she was there.

Kate bit back a laugh. "Thanks Little Miss."

"We watched two movies last night, one at the cinema and one at Aunt Kate's house. Did you know that Aunt Kate has never seen Moana? I told her that she's the only Disney Princess I like because she's fun, likes the water and doesn't wear shoes, I wish I didn't have to wear shoes," Summer sighed as she looked down at her converse clad feet.

Entering the café Carla motioned for Kate, Jake and Summer to sit down as she headed towards the counter.

"Daddy," Summer shouted. "Come sit next to me, Aunt Kate you sit opposite me and then Mama can sit next to you," she ordered as she kneeled up on her chair.

"Bottom on the chair Little Miss Sunshine," Jake prompted.

Summer rolled her eyes as she did what she was told. "Ok, ok, ok."

"I swear you've grown at least 5 inches since I last saw you," Jake pointed out as he watched Carla start to shift nervously from one foot to the other.

Summer sighed. "No. That's what Aunt Chelle said too but I'm still the same size, and I still have to sit in a booster seat, even in a different country."

Even from the other side of the café Jake could sense Carla's growing discomfort as she played with the edges of a napkin, as he watched Summer pull a notepad out of her bag and start showing something to Kate he stood up and made his way over to her.

"Everything ok?" Jake asked, resting his hand on the small of her back.

Carla bit her bottom lip and shook her head as she looked over towards the far corner of the café. "No."

"Nick." Jake guessed as he followed her gaze over to the table where Nick sat deep in conversation with his mother.

"And Gail, his mother, and probably the most volatile factor in this whole scenario," Carla admitted.

Jake took the napkin from her as she started to pull it to pieces and held her hands gently in his. "Does she know?"

"I don't think so, I asked him not to tell her, at least not until things are more settled but she has this way of making him feel like he's 5-years-old," Carla sighed.

"It'll be ok," Jake said, reiterating his earlier statement.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth the atmosphere in the café seemed to take on an almost eerie sense of impending chaos as Gail stood up from the table and started making her way towards the counter, standing up Nick grabbed hold of her arm.

"Mum, please don't," Nick pleaded.

Pulling her arms free from Nick's grip Gail shook her head and kept walking, approaching the pair stood by the counter she narrowed her eyes and placed her right hand on her hip. "I believe you have some explaining to do."

"Mum," Nick warned. "You promised you wouldn't say anything."

"So did you," Carla hissed, finally finding her voice.

Gail took a step forward. "She's my granddaughter; I had a right to know."

All four adults stood unmoving, silence starting to hang over them like a storm cloud as no one knew what step to take next as all around them everything carried on as normal.

"Perhaps we should take this outside," Jake suggested, finally breaking the silence as he motioned over towards Summer who had stopped what she was doing and was knelt on the chair watching them.

"We?" Nick questioned. "What makes you think this has anything to do with you?" he said, his anger and frustration at the situation getting the better of him.

Keeping his calm Jake smiled kindly as he gave Carla's hands a soft, reassuring squeeze. "Like it or not … I'm part of this."

"Jake's right, we should take this outside," Carla said as she watched Summer climb down off the chair and head over towards them.

"Daddy, Mama I'm hungry," Summer told them as she leaned into Jake's side.

Jake took her hand and led her back over to the table, leaning down he whispered something in her ear that caused her to smile before squeezing her nose and making his way back over to the counter. Taking the tray of drinks he handed her the orange juice before once again heading back over to where Carla, Nick and Gail stood in silence. "She may only be 6-years-old but Little Miss Sunshine over there is a sponge so … let's all be adults about this and not argue in front of her."

"Ok," Nick agreed, realizing that as much as he was loath to admit it the other man was right and they needed to think about Summer.

"How could you," Gail practically shouted the minute they stepped outside.

Carla shook her head. "Nick knows why I did what I did and … I really don't want to have to go through it all again, especially not to you of all people."

"What's that supposed to mean?"Gail demanded to know.

"It means I am not having this conversation," Carla said, her voice sounding stronger than she felt.

Gail puffed out her cheeks. "That little girl is Nick's daughter, my granddaughter, you had no right keeping her from us."

"I did what I had to do. Like it or not I made the only decision I could at the time to survive," Carla explained even though she had said she wasn't going to go into everything again she knew Gail would not back down without a fight.

"I-"

Carla stepped back her whole body shaking as Jake tightened his grip on her hand. "No," she began, putting a stop to whatever argument Gail was about to unleash. "You do not get to judge me, to question the decision I made all those years ago. I did what I had to do when my life was at rock bottom. It may not have been the right thing, or the decision you think I should have made but at the time it wasn't about anyone else except me and my daughter. It was about surviving … so you don't get to question me … and if you can't accept the choices I made and the fact that the past is the past then … you don't get to be a part of my daughter's life."

"I-"

"Please just go," Carla ordered.

Gail turned to face Nick looking to him for back up. "Nick. You can't let her-"

"She's right," Nick agreed. "We should go."

Reluctantly Gail allowed Nick to lead her away from the café and back towards their house but not before she got one last warning in. "You haven't heard the last of this. I'm her grandmother. I have rights."

"And I'm her mother," Carla retorted.

"Tell me what you need." Jake said, once they were alone.

Carla wrapped her arms around him, listening to the gentle beating of his heart as she tried to slow her breathing down. "You. I need you."

"I'm here and I am not going anywhere," Jake reassured her.

"I won't let the past destroy her Jake, this place … what it does to people … I wish we didn't have to come back but … if anything had happened to that little boy I never would have forgiven myself," Carla whispered, slowly untangling herself from him as her breathing returned to normal.

Jake placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "Emotions are high right now, you knew they would be but like you said; you are Summer's mother, you know her better than anyone else, you know what is right for her and that's all you need. Just trust your instincts because they haven't failed you yet. I mean all you have to do is look at the incredible little human your daughter is to know that even though it might not seem like it now, you made the right choice."

"Thank-you," Carla breathed, whiping tiredly at her eyes. "I needed to hear that."

"How about we forgot all of this and do something fun today? We could hire bikes and go for a ride in the countryside, or I saw online about this place just a few miles from here with an indoor wave machine where you can go surfing," Jake suggested.

Carla leaned her head against him and smiled. "Or we could just lie in bed all day with popcorn and watch movies."

"I'm not really sure Little Miss Outdoors in there will be too happy with that plan," Jake chuckled, trying to remember the last time Summer had spent a whole day indoors.

Carla nodded. "I know. There's a skate park in town she really likes we could go there for the morning, get some lunch and then maybe head to the surf place."

"Sounds like a plan," Jake agreed.

"Do you want to tell her the good news or shall I?" Carla asked as they made their way back into the café where their breakfast was waiting for them.

Kneeling up on her chair Summer turned to face Jake. "Daddy, look at those weird little orange things Aunt Kate is eating, they are called baked beans, but they're not baked and they are soaked in a weird watery ketchup type thing, and yes they are as gross as they look."

Dropping her fork onto her plate Kate raised her eyebrows. "Thanks Kid."

"What it's true, they are super weird," Summer sung.

Watching as she continued to kneel on her chair Jake sent the youngster a gentle warning look as he loudly cleared his throat. "Hmm mm."

Smiling apologetically she sat back down. "Sorry."

"It's ok," Jake smiled, rubbing her hair affectionately.

"Did you meet Mr. Nick?" Summer asked as everyone sat back down.

Jake nodded, taking a bite of his omelet. "Very quickly."

"He's the man that was my Daddy before you were my Daddy, when I was in Mama's tummy," Summer explained as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"I know," Jake agreed uncertainly because although he loved that Summer wanted him to be her father he also knew that she would need to come to understand that Nick was still her father too.

Summer looked over at her mother. "Mama was I a good baby when I was in your tummy?"

"The best," Carla replied, although her pregnancy had been one of the scariest, darkest times of her life she would never forget the feeling of having her unborn child growing inside her. "You were so strong and smart even then… sometimes when Mama was feeling sad you would start kicking away and doing these little twists and turns inside me almost as if you were trying to make me smile even before you born."

"Making you smile is my favorite thing ever Mama …. except maybe frozen yogurt," Summer whistled as she finished off her orange juice.

Carla blew a kiss at her daughter. "And you Bug are my absolute favorite thing in the World ever."

"Do you love me more than coffee?" Summer asked.

"Way more," Carla chuckled.

"More than buying new shoes?" Summer wondered.

"Yep," Carla nodded.

Jake looked over at Kate. "This could go on for a while. I reckon it's time for a subject change."

"Hey Sum? How do you fancy a day of surfing, skate parks and lunch in town?" Jake asked as Summer sat trying to think of something else to challenge her mother with.

"There's no beach here," Summer sighed sadly. "And it's winter."

Jake raised his eyebrows in an amused manner."No but there is an indoor surf pool."

"Like the one in Brazil?" Summer asked.

Jake nodded. "Just like the one in Brazil, in fact I think it might even be bigger."

"I don't have my surfboard," Summer pouted.

"We can borrow one there," Jake reassured her having researched the place in depth whilst on the plane over.

Summer pulled herself across on to his lap. "I think that would be awesome."

"I think so too," Jake agreed as he pulled her close to him.

"Do you think so three Mama?" Summer asked turning her attention back to her mother.

Carla looked over at where Summer sat leaning into Jake's chest, her nerves starting to slowly fade away as she realized that with Jake and Summer in her life she could overcome anything, even spending the next few weeks in Manchester playing nice with Gail Platt. "I think so three."

CS – CS – CS

As Jake carried a sleeping Summer into the hotel room and placed her down on the bed he sighed tiredly watching as Carla flopped down onto the couch.

"I think someone might sleep well tonight," Carla observed as she watched Summer stir slightly before turning on her side and going straight back to sleep.

"She's not the only one," Jake pointed out as he watched Carla lean back against the sofa, her eyes fluttering shut.

Carla was just about to suggest calling it a night when a loud knock echoed through the hotel room, looking up at the clock on the wall she frowned wondering who would be here at this time of night.

"I'll get it," Jake offered as he opened the door and found himself face-to-face with Nick for the second time that day.

Carla came up behind Jake as Nick glared into the room, his eyes softening as they rested upon his sleeping daughter. "Nick. What are you-"

"I'm not here to talk," Nick insisted, cutting her off as he handed her a large A4 envelope. "I came to deliver this in person," he said as he turned and made his way back down the corridor.

"What was all that about?" Jake asked as he watched Carla close the door, the envelope clutched tightly in her hand.

Carla shook her head as she opened it and pulled out the document inside it, her hands shaking as she started to read it. As her eyes moved down the page Jake could see her breathing starting to speed up as he face paled.

"Car-"

"I don't …. he can't … I mean he wouldn't … I know him this isn't his style, not after everything … not after what I told him yesterday he … wouldn't." Carla stammered, her breath starting to come in short, sharp gasps, hyperventilation a real possibility as she started to read the words again.

Jake pulled her down onto his lap as her body melted into his. "He wouldn't what Carla?"

"It's a letter from his solicitor, he's applied for an injunction to stop Summer leaving the country pending a DNA test … he's going to go for full custody … he wants to take her from me Jake … he wants to … I can't …. he can't … does he really hate me that much?"


	7. Chapter 7

7.

Jake followed Carla into the bathroom as she grabbed a towel and bit down on it, her whole body shaking as a silent scream tore through her being.

"I-"

Pulling her down to the floor so that they were sat leaning against the large, ornate bathtub he ran his hand softly up and down her back as he watched her feverish attempt to silence her anguish for fear of waking Summer and alerting her to her mother's distress.

He could feel the short, sharp gasps of panic vibrate through her as her chest started to heave. "Breath with me."

"No … no breathing … Summer … mine," Carla wheezed as the bathroom suddenly seemed too small as the walls began to close in on her. She tried to catch her breath and follow Jake's gentle coaxing but everything was happening too fast, her mind was racing, her heart beating out of control as starburst of light started to explode before her.

"I… hurt ….no …"

All around her the colour started to fade from the room as the walls began to tilt, her equilibrium barely hanging on as she tried to listen to the gentle voice trying to guide her back from the edge, just like he had many times before when she had woken in a cold sweat with unknown fingers clawing at her in her sleep.

Jake had seen Carla like this before, he had held her, reassured her, loved her and gently guided her until she was back with him, back on solid ground. But he could tell this was different, someone was trying to take her daughter from her and he knew that the idea of losing Summer would destroy her more than any other past demon she still battled in her sleep.

"Car. I need you to breath ok, Summer needs you to breath … so I want you to close your eyes and picture the beach. You know that tiny little cove just outside of Malibu? The hidden one with tiny dunes and almost pink sand? Can you hear it Carla? The waves crashing into the shore, Summer laughing as she carries her board out into the ocean. We're right there, Summer and I … we want you to join us," Jake gently guided, his voice low, even and soothing.

Shaking her head Carla tried to break free from his hold as she became lost in the terror of what if. "No. I need to … can't breath…"

"Yes you can, you've got this, we've got this," Jake whispered into her ear as he pulled her shaking body closer into him until it was impossible to tell where one person finished and the other began.

"Summer … she's my little-girl … made mistakes … but …"

Jake felt her start to sway dangerously in his arms as the lack of oxygen reaching her lungs started to reach a critical point.

"She's here Car, she's with us … just close your eyes and join us … we have that ugly purple, green and red picnic blanket that you insist on taking everywhere, the one we bought on a whim in Tanzania. Summer is wearing her bright orange wetsuit with the dolphin print on it, her curls are wild because she refused to tie up her hair despite you asking her at least 10 times, in the end you gave up and told her she'd better not complain when you had to brush the knots out later," Jake continued as he felt her finally take a large gulp of air, the heaving of her lungs starting to slow until it was almost in sync with the gentle rise and fall of his own breaths.

"You made lemonade with the flavored ice cubes that my mother taught you to make last 4th of July weekend. It's just us there Car; you, me and Summer … she's calling you to watch as she chases a wave… she's got it … she's riding it right to the beach … now she's running towards us as she practically jumps into your lap, soaking your summer dress as she wraps her arms around you and reaches over to grab a strawberry," Jake continued as her body starts to relax into him.

Closing her eyes and breathing in with him Carla can practically smell the sea air and strawberries. "I see it."

"We'll be back there soon Carla, I promise, all three of us," Jake gently reassured her as she stirred slightly in his lap.

"I know … it's just … I didn't want it to come to this … I needed him to understand," Carla whispered.

Jake gently lifted her up and carried her over to the bed, lying her down he pulled the cover over both her and Summer as he ran his hand softly through her hair as she started to give in to the complete and utter exhaustion she was feeling. "He does understand Car. He's just angry and lashing out but he'll come around, you'll see."

Once he was sure she was asleep Jake made his way back into the bathroom, sitting on the edge of his tub he pulled out his phone and scrolled through it until he found what he was looking for. "Michelle? It's Jake … yeah the rumors are true I'm here in Manchester. Listen I need something from you … I need an address."

CS – CS – CS

Standing outside the small terraced house Jake looked down at his phone, checking he had the right address before walking up the path, taking a deep breath he knocked, being careful not to be too loud as he didn't want to wake Mason if he was sleeping.

"Hi … er can I help you?" a short mousy brunette asked.

"I'm looked for Nick. Nick Tilsley," Jake explained.

As soon as she heard the New York accent Leanne immediately put two and two together and figured the man stood on her doorstep must be Carla's new partner. "He's not here."

"Do you know where I might be able to find him?" Jake asked.

"Can I ask what this is about?" Leanne questioned, curious as to what the other man was doing stood on her doorstep and 10pm, completely oblivious to Nick's legal maneuvers.

Jake considered his options for a few moments before speaking, he had always been good at reading people and he was pretty certain from Leanne's expression that she had no idea about Nick's custody bid.

"I was hoping I could talk to him, get to know him. Carla and I are going to be here for a few weeks until the operation so I thought … it makes sense …. after all we all want the same thing right? For Mason and Summer to be ok," Jake explained.

Leanne could sense the sincerity in the other man's voice as she wondered what someone seemingly so genuine was doing with a woman like Carla. "He's at The Rovers, it's the pub across the road."

"Thank-you," Jake smiled. "And I really did mean what I said … I hope your son is ok and that Summer's bone marrow gives him the childhood every child deserves."

Slowly Leanne nodded her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Me too."

Walking into the pub Jake was immediately aware that he seemed to stick out as pretty much every person in the pub turned to look at him, shrugging it off he headed straight to the end booth where he could see Nick deep in conversation with an older blonde lady.

"We need to talk," Jake demanded, approaching the table.

"Hello to you too," Nick sighed as he turned back to the other woman.

Jake shook his head and sat down. "Shall I get the drinks or you?"

"I should leave you to it," Stella suggested.

Nick motioned for her to stay. "He's leaving."

"Not until we've had a chance to talk I'm not," Jake insisted.

Not even bothering to turn around Nick lifted his drink to his mouth. "I have nothing to say to you."

"That's a shame, because I have a lot to say to you. Do you have any idea what you've done with your recent jackass move? This cus-"

As Nick watched Stella taking in everything that was being said he realized that it would be a matter of minutes before it got back to Leanne and he didn't want her worrying, not with everything that was happening with Mason.

"Stella, could you give us a minute? Please?" Nick asked.

Stella nodded and made her way over to where Eva and Aiden were sat."Sure."

"Mother-in-law?" Jake guessed. "When are you planning on telling your wife that you've petitioned for full custody of Summer?" he asked.

Nick sighed. "Leanne has enough to deal with at the moment … and she's not my wife."

"She's the mother of your child, close enough," Jake added.

"So is Carla," Nick countered.

Jake nodded, not willing to take the bait. "I know."

"Look I really don't have time for this so … why are you here?" Nick wanted to know.

Taking his jacket off Jake leaned back against the chair. "Do you have any idea what your little stunt has done?"

"It's not a stunt," Nick argued. "Summer is my daughter, I have already missed out on nearly 7 years of her life, I don't plan on missing out on any more."

Jake linked his fingers together and rested them on the table. "I get it. I would feel the same if I was in your shoes … if I suddenly found out I had a daughter that I knew nothing about I would be angry, frustrated and grieving … because you've lost 7 years of her life, that's time you will never get back. But this isn't the way to go about, if by some tiny miracle you were to win full custody of Summer do you really think she will thank you for it? Do you have any idea what taking a child away from the only parent they have every known will do to them?"

When Nick didn't respond Jake hoped that it meant he had the other mans attention and that he was actually listening to what he had to say.

"When Summer was 5 … Carla was sick … she had to spend quite a lot of time in hospital and the first night she was in there Summer was hysterical … she cried so much she made herself sick … the bond they have … putting them through this it won't just be Carla that you end up hurting, it will be Summer too," Jake concluded.

"So what do you suggest I do? Just give up and let you take my daughter back to LA, back to a life where I don't exist and you can all play happy, perfect families," Nick raged.

Jake liked his suddenly too dry lips. "I didn't plan to take your place, when I met Carla … she needed a friend … we were friends … and then it grew and I fell in love with her and it wasn't easy but somewhere along the way she learnt to trust me, to let me in and we fell in love. I never told Summer I was her father she just … it just happened and I'm not going to lie … she's my daughter too Nick, that little-girl means the world to me I would do anything for her, for both of them."

"But I'm her father," Nick argued.

"It takes a village to raise a child, isn't that what they say?" Jake began needing to Nick to realize that they could all work together.

Nick laughed bitterly. "Next you'll be reciting the story of King Solomon."

"You know better than anyone else what Carla has had to overcome, everything she has been through to get to where she is. She's incredible, any one of those traumas could have broken her but she fought to survive and not only did she survive but she's … burning. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that it's always perfect in LA because it's not. It's not this Nirvana that washed all the bad away but … it's not here … it's not the place her husband cheated on her and then died, it's not the place her husband killed the man she was in love with and then kidnapped and almost killed her, it's not the place she was raped and then when she finally learnt to trust and love again she lost everything … her husband, her baby, her self-worth," Jake reminded him, knowing that none of what he was saying was news to Nick but realizing that perhaps he needed reminding.

"Because that's what here is to her, she's been back not even a week and … it's destroying her … and now with your legal battle … she had a panic attack last night … she hasn't had one of those in years. When we first moved in together they were frequent; the terror, the guilt, the memories ... but then she started therapy and she learnt how to cope and LA became her safe place. It's where her daughter was born, it's where she stopped drinking, it's where she learnt to let go of the past and realize she wasn't to blame for everything that happened to her," Jake continued.

"I-"

Jake held up his hand. "Summer took her first steps there, said her first word, learnt to ride a bike, surf … it's where Carla became a mother, part of a family."

"Look I get what you're saying," Nick sighed his heart and head pulling him in two different directions. "But I have rights too … full custody it's not what I want … to be a part of my daughter's life … that's it, that's all I want."

"Surely the best way to get that is to work together," Jake suggested.

Nick finished the remainder of his drink. "LA is hardly just a few hours down the motorway though is it?"

"No. But there's always a way especially when there's so much at stake," Jake pointed out.

"I'm sorry," Nick apologized. "I didn't want to do it that way but-"

Jake nodded, letting the other man know that he didn't need to finish. "Carla didn't think it was all you, she said vindictive wasn't your style."

"I loved her, there was a time I would have done anything for her … I'm glad she's happy, really I am I just wish things hadn't come to this," Nick admitted.

"I know and for what's it's worth she is sorry … it was never about her not trusting you with Summer or believing that you didn't deserve to be a father … it really was about surviving," Jake tried o reassure him.

Nick looked up at the other man. "Carla … you said she was sick a while back and the other day Summer said something about a bad lump, it was cancer wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Jake admitted, not wanting to ruin the progress they had made by lying to the other man.

"She's ok now thought right? I mean she looks ok," Nick observed.

Jake smiled gently. "She's perfect. It was tough for a while, the treatment, surgeries, being away from Summer … but she's been in remission now for over a year and the doctors are hopeful that it will stay that way."

"Good," Nick sighed, genuinely relived. "She deserves to be healthy … and happy … she's happy isn't she? They both are?"

"Yes," Jake admitted. "Like I said it's not perfect but it is for us, what we have, it works and together we really work. Being with them; Carla and Summer … I couldn't imagine my life being any other way now."

Although it hurt him to hear the other man talk about their life together, a life that in a different lifetime could have been his he couldn't help but ask the first question that came to mine. "Did you and Carla never want children of your own?"

"We talked about it but then cancer happened and it wasn't an option anymore. Summer, she's more than enough though, she's a pretty extraordinary kid that little-girl of yours," Jake smiled as he thought about the little girl he had helped raise for 6 years.

"I'm getting that," Nick agreed.

Looking at his watch Jake sighed. "I should go, Carla doesn't know I'm here, I'll tell her when I get back but if she knew I was coming she would have put a stop to it."

"Right," Nick agreed.

"Thank-you, for listening and for understanding," Jake said as he got up to leave.

Nick stood up too. "It's like you said we all want the same thing right? For our children to be happy and healthy."

CS – CS –CS

Closing the door gently behind him Jake entered the hotel room, not surprised to find Carla and Summer curled up together fast asleep.

"Jake?" Carla called out softly in her sleep.

Taking his jacket and trousers off he climbed in bed next to her. "Hey," he smiled as she snuggled into him.

"You went to see him didn't you?" Carla guessed.

"Yeah," Jake admitted. "Sorry."

Carla shook her head. "It's ok, you wouldn't be you if you didn't."

"I just wanted to talk to him, everything you had told me about the kind of man he was, the kind of father you thought he would be … it just didn't make sense with the way he behaved earlier."

"He's angry, anger makes people do things they normally wouldn't," Carla sighed.

Jake pulled her right into him. "I know."

"What did he say?" Carla asked, not really sure if she was ready to hear the answer.

"He's angry like you said and scared I mean not only has he found out he lost 7 years of his daughter's life but his son is seriously ill and Summer has to undergo an operation to save him. You were right; he's a good man in a bad place … but I think we came to an understanding … I mean it's not going to be all flowers and puppies going forward but I think he's reconsidering the legal course of action." Jake surmised, not wanting to get Carla's hopes up too much but not wanting her to worry either.

Carla looked over at her sleeping daughter. "I hope so."

"He loves you … I don't think he ever stopped," Jake observed remembering back to his earlier conversation with the other man.

"And I think a part of me will always care for him too," Carla admitted. "But this is where I'm supposed to be. You are where I'm supposed to be, Summer and you … my heart is yours," Carla whispered as she drifted back to sleep.

Turning off the lamp Jake kissed her gently. "I love you."

"Love you too," Carla yawned.

As he closed his eyes Jake knew that the coming weeks would be hard, that what they were about to go through as a family would test them. But he also knew that they had overcome so much already in just 6 years from Carla's addiction, to his accident and then her cancer and he truly believed it earlier when he told Carla that in the end; everything would be ok.


End file.
